Roasted Rabbit
Roasted Rabbit
Roasted Rabbit
INGREDIENTS1 whole rabbit, skinned and cut into 8 pieces1 shallot, peeled10 cloves garlic, peeled3 fresh bay leaves or 6 dried8 cloves15 to 20 whole black peppercorns8 star anise pods6 cardamom pods10 sprigs fresh thyme4 sprigs fresh rosemary1 teaspoon mustard seeds (yellow or brown)Kosher salt and cracked black pepperAbout 3 to 6 cups or so oil (I usually use a blend of 90 percent canola and 10 percent extra-virgin olive, although you can change that to 50 percent canola and 50 percent olive oil.)Lemon wedges, for squeezingDIRECTIONS1. Preheat the oven to 300°F (148° C). Rinse the rabbit under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.2. In a heavy lidded 4-quart or larger pot or a large Dutch oven, combine the rabbit with the shallot, garlic cloves, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, star anise pods, juniper berries, cardamom pods, thyme, rosemary, mustard seeds, and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Add enough oil to cover the meat by about half an inch. Place a piece of parchment paper cut to fit your pot on the surface of the oil. Cover the pot with its lid and transfer to the oven. Check the contents of the pot occasionally—the oil should never come to a full simmer. You may need to reduce the heat. Cook until the meat is tender but not falling apart, about 3 hours. Remove the pot from the oven. (To make the confit in advance, you can cool the rabbit to room temperature and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. You must slowly heat the pieces in confit oil in a warm oven before grilling or searing, otherwise, the center will be cold.)3. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill or ridged cast-iron grill pan until hot but not smoking. Lift the pieces out of the confit oil and season with pepper. Reserve the oil until serving time. Lightly sear the meat just long enough to warm it and imbue it with a smoky char flavor (remember, the rabbit is already cooked, you just want to warm it through).4. Drizzle the meat with a little of the confit oil and squeeze a wedge of lemon over the Roasted Rabbit.Posted originally on http://leitesculinaria.com