Braised Rabbit In Tuscan Sauce Food

BRAISED RABBIT, ITALIAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Rinse the rabbit pieces in cold water and pat dry.
• In a deep wide skillet with a lid, put the oil, celery, garlic, and the rabbit in a single layer. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours. Turn the meat once or twice. If some of the ingredients begin to scorch, add a little water.
• After 2 hours, the rabbit may have thrown off a lot of liquid. Uncover the pan, turn the heat up to medium, and cook until the liquid has evaporated, turning the meat from time to time.
• Add the wine, rosemary, salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, until the wine has evaporated.
• Dissolve the bouillon cube, tomato paste, and sugar in the warm water. Pour it over the rabbit, and cook gently for another 12 to 15 minutes, basting and turning the rabbit two or three times.
• Serve immediately, accompanied by polenta if desired.
• (The dish may be prepared entirely ahead of time. Reheat gently with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water over low heat, covered, turning the meat occasionally.).

BRAISED RABBIT WITH FRESH PAPPARDELLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 F. Season rabbit with salt and pepper. In a large pot over medium heat, add oil followed by rabbit (everything but the wings) and sear until golden brown, 15 minutes. Delicately remove the rabbit when golden brown and set aside to rest.
• To the pan, add onion, celery and carrots and cook 10 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, sage and rosemary and cook 5 minutes. Continue by adding tomatoes, vinegar, and verjus and cook 5 more minutes. Add rabbit wings and dashi and bring to a boil. Add remaining rabbit and season with salt. Cover with parchment paper (cartouche) and place in the oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Pull some rabbit meat off the bone along with braising liquid and place in a saucepan.
• Add 1 cup cooked pasta and toss with rabbit, parsley, Parmesan and butter. Gently cook pasta until glazed with sauce and appears sheen. Serve with additional rabbit and Parmesan shavings.

BRAISED RABBIT IN TUSCAN SAUCE

Steps:

• For Sauce.
• Heat oil in heavy 4-quart nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onion,carrot,celery and parsley and brown, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes.
• Add garlic and basil and cook 15 seconds.
• Mix in tomatoes.
• Reduce heat and simmer until reduced and thick,stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Can be prepared 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
• For Rabbit.
• Remove long loin piece on each side of backbone by cutting between meat and bone with sharp knife.
• Halve each loin crosswise;cut off remaining meat from bones.
• Put rabbit meat in large bowl; mix in wine,bay leaves,garlic, rosemary, pepper and cloves.
• Marinate at least 5 hours at cool room temperature or overnight in refrigerator, turning occasionally.
• Remove rabbit from marinade and pat dry;reserve marinade.
• Heat oil in nonaluminum heavy large skillet over medium heat.
• Add pancetta and brown, stirring frequently.
• Remove, using a slotted spoon.
• Add rabbit loins to skillet and sear on all sides; do not brown.
• Cool and refrigerate.
• Brown remaining rabbit meat over medium heat in batches(do not crowd).
• Transfer to heavy 5-quart saucepan, using a slotted spoon.
• Pour off all but 3 tablespoonfuls fat from skillet.
• Add pancetta to skillet and stir over medium heat 2 minutes;pour in marinade.
• Simmer until reduced to thick syrup, scraping up any browned bits, about 25 minutes.
• Pour over rabbit meat (keep loin refrigerated).
• Stir in tomato sauce;cover partially and simmer gently until rabbit meat is tender, about 25 minutes;cool.
• Refrigerate tomato mixture overnight(can be prepared 2 days ahead).
• Bring tomato mixture to a simmer;stir in loin pieces and simmer until tender, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.
• Discard bay leaves and fresh rosemary.
• Transfer rabbit mixture to platter.
• Serve immediately with polenta or pasta.