Have you ever walked past something at the market, thought about what you could make with it and bought it on a whim?  That is exactly what I did this weekend.  While shopping at a local farm/ upscale grocery store, I came across rabbit.  I have been thinking about making a rabbit ragu and rabbit rilletts for months now, so I bought the rabbit.  Then, I noticed they had a sale on duck legs, so I bought them too.

Ever since my MySpace friend and fellow blogger, Robert made his duck confit, I have been thinking about it.  He used the sous vide method.  I wanted traditional confit.  I am thinking about cassoulet too (thanks Robert!).  

The idea for rabbit rillets came from my MySpace friend Scott, and the Rabbit ragu, from my other MySpace friend Lello.

So, I had the duck legs and the whole rabbit, I just needed some duck fat.  I called every gourmet shop and high-end grocer within 30 miles of my house.  No one carried duck fat.  I went to my last food and wine pairing class of the semester Monday night at the French Culinary Institute, and stopped in Dean and Deluca before had.  They certainly must carry duck fat.  I eagerly ventured over to the meat counter, and asked the butcher for about three pounds of duck fat.  He grabbed a sealed package and wrapped it further. 

After picking up a few other small items, I went to the register to pay.  Imagine my shock when the cashier informed me of my total, "$150.00." 

"What the hell did I buy?"  I thought.  Most of my costs went toward that duck fat.  

I was shocked and upset at the cost, but had two legs curing in a dish at home and wanted to make the confit, so I reluctantly paid my bill and left.

When I came home from work yesterday, I opened the package of duck fat with intent to render it.  I carefully unwrapped the butcher paper to discover that the idiot behind the counter at the most expensive grocer in LACE w:st="on">New York CityLACE> gave me duck liver – not dock fat!!!!   He gave me two whole lobes of Fois Gras!

I became doubly annoyed.  1. I have no duck fat to make my confit; and two.  I did not want to buy two whole lobes of fois gras!  

So, on my way home tonight, I picked up duck breast, cut off the fat, froze the breast meat and rendered the remaining fat, which provided me with just enough fat to make my confit. 


I put my cured duck legs into a small Dutch oven with the rendered fat and put the whole thing in the oven at 175 degrees – convection roast.  Then I melted enough vegetable shortening to submerge the cured rabbit paws and feet in the fat and put that pot into the oven as well.  Both will cook overnight.

Once, I froze the fois gras and put the confit and rillets into the oven, I then moved on to my rabbit ragu.  I have never cooked whole rabbit before.  I bought one once, and chickened out – it is in the freezer.  I have stuffed and seared boneless rabbit loin before, but that was different somehow.

First, I butchered the rabbit into 8 pieces and marinated it for about two days in red wine vinegar, salt and olive oil.

Then I browned the rabbit pieces in a pot, added some aromatics, reduced first with sherry, then added the rabbit, tomatoes, kale and the marinade back to the pot and simmered for about 20 minutes.

The ragu was fantastic!  I was not prepared for exactly how good it was.  It came out like a soup or thin stew.  I used the very last of the heirloom tomatoes from the farm and fresh kale.  The sherry and the carrots gave the dish just the right amount of sweetness – and the rabbit melted in my mouth.

Rabbit Ragu

• 1 Rabbit, cut into about 8 pieces and marinated in red wine vinegar,  chicken  stock, salt and olive oil for about two days
• 3 tomatoes, cubed
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup kale, chopped
• ½ cup sherry
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven and sear rabbit pieces, once you develop a good sear on each side, remove from the pot
• Add, onions, carrots, garlic and herbs to the pan and sauté for a few minutes, then add sherry to reduce
• Once reduced, return the rabbit to the pan, along with the marinade liquid to the pan, add the kale, tomatoes, and cover, dropping the heat to low.
• Cook for about 20 – 30 min.

More on the duck and the rabbit rillets to come…