Braised Rabbit with Creamy Polenta Recipe

Name: Braised Rabbit with Creamy Polenta - Hangry In Love
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 English cucumber, peeled into ribbons; 2 large carrots, peeled into ribbons; 1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced; 1 Tbsp soy sauce; 1 Tbsp rice vinegar; 1 Tbsp white vinegar; 1 tsp sesame oil; 3-4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced; 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice; 3 Tbsp fresh grapefruit juice; 1/3 cup soy sauce; 2 Tbsp mirin; 1 Tbsp rice vinegar; 1 Tbsp brown sugar; 2 Tbsp soy sauce; 1 Tbsp sesame oil; 1/2 Tbsp mirin; 1/2 Tbsp honey; 1/4 cup white sesame seeds; 1/4 cup black sesame seeds; (2) 6 oz ahi tuna saku blocks (center-cut tuna loin); 2 Tbsp canola oil, divided

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Shhhhhhhhhh! Be vehwee vehwee qwiet. This Braised Rabbit with Creamy Polenta is here to ruin Easter for your entire family. And by ruin we mean they’ll never want any other dish for their Easter main ever again. Not ham, not lamb, and certainly not turkey.

PREP TIME

30 mins

COOK TIME

1 hr 30 mins

SERVINGS

4-6

Ingredients

Braised Rabbit

1.5 oz dried porcini mushrooms
4 cups water
2 whole rabbits
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Olive oil, for cooking
4 oz pancetta
1 onion, diced
2 fennel bulbs, slivered
6 carrots, halved lengthwise & sliced into 3” segments
2 leeks, slivered
1 head garlic, minced
5 oz fresh rosemary bunch
5 oz fresh thyme bunch
2 cups white wine
2 cups chicken broth

Creamy Polenta

1 cup stone ground polenta
3 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
Braised Rabbit with Creamy Polenta

Braised Rabbit

Soak mushrooms in 4 cups room-temperature water for 30-60 mins, depending on size of mushrooms. They’re done soaking when they’re fully hydrated and plump. Reserve 1 cup mushroom water when draining—drain mushrooms then set aside.
Remove giblets from each rabbit and save for cooking later (or cook in a little broth for your dogs). Break down each rabbit into 8 pieces. Cut off forelegs right around the shoulder then in between the ribs and foreleg. Cut off back legs around the shape of the rump and between inner thigh and spine, then pop joint out of socket. Cut off belly flaps on each side. Cut tenderloin and saddle on each side in one piece by following along spine up to last rib. Sever spine below the ribs. Save spine and ribs for making a stock another time. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, fill with enough oil to cover bottom of pot. Working in 2-3 batches, brown rabbit pieces for ~3 mins per side, removing smaller cuts sooner than larger cuts. Set aside to drain on paper towel-lined dish. Remove olive oil from dish while reserving a Tbsp or so in Dutch oven.
Add pancetta to Dutch oven and render. Add onion, fennel, and carrot (and extra olive oil if necessary) then sauté until just beginning to get tender, about 4-5 mins. Stir in mushrooms, leeks, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook for another 3-4 mins or until heavily fragrant. Remove rosemary and thyme and discard. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour in wine, bring to simmer, then continue simmering and reduce by half. Add chicken broth and mushroom water then bring to simmer again. Remove from heat and partially submerge browned rabbit in braising mixture.
Bake rabbit in oven for 1 hour, or until meat is tender and falling off the bone. Serve immediately over Creamy Polenta.

Creamy Polenta

When rabbit has 30 mins left to cook: In a saucepan over medium heat, bring milk and chicken broth to boil.
Whisk in polenta until fully combined. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for ~30 minutes or until polenta has reached desired consistency.
Stir in butter, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Serve immediately with braised rabbit and vegetables. Enjoy!