Prosecco Bathed Rabbit with Pecans and Apricots

 Whew.  One gigantic, 20 second long exhale.  With no intention of sounding melodramatic, today was the absolute most emotionally taxing culinary experience I have ever had.   It is Recipe Swap time again where Christianna gives us a recipe from her vintage cookbook and we are assigned to switch and swap ingredients around to make a recipe our own.  This month is rabbit: 

A little intimidated is an understatement.  I have been excited and nervous to dive into this for about two weeks.  Actually I have put the recipe in a tiny little box in the middle of my brain, only to be opened the day before the recipe is due.  So today was that such day.

I did a little research this week on rabbit recipes and places to actually buy rabbit meat.  I found an awesome little butcher shop in Melrose Market called Rain Shadow Meats that only sells locally and responsibly grown meats.  The butcher was really kind and understanding when I told him that I had a recipe for stuffed rabbit legs.  He politely told me they didn't sell just rabbit legs....that I would have to buy the whole rabbit.  (Big swallow...and pause.)  Ok.  I could do this.  To ease the process, he told me he could cut it up for me.  Great.  This wouldn't be so bad.  I couldn't really see what he was doing, but I figured he was cutting the meat off the bone for me so that I could easily roll the meat with the pecan and rosemary filling, and I would be on my innocent way.  He handed me the 3.5 lb package of meat.  Thunk.

I was walking around Capitol Hill with a grey re-usable tote of rabbit parts.  I quickly walked to three other places to get all the other goods...butcher twine, Prosecco, rosemary, onions...a little courage.  After gathering said components, I got home, unloaded groceries, made lunch and poured myself a healthy glass of wine.  Was there really a rabbit in my fridge?

For the next three hours, I would occasionally open the fridge.  Yep.  There was a rabbit in there.  Now I realize, there are many many people in the world who regularly butcher meat, or purchase whole animals, or better yet, raise their own animals, put them to rest and then butcher and prepare them.  All I had to do was cut it up and prepare it.  But I am very very new to this idea.  Most of my culinary trekking has involved chicken and beef.  I have eaten interesting meats...just not prepared them.  Well it is about flipping time I muster up the courage to cook foods that I am very willing to order off a menu.

I took my last gulp of wine, washed my hands and cutting board and pulled out the large brown paper wrapped rabbit...hoping for a de-boned bag of rabbit meat.  I pulled the sticker off.  Undid the wrapping as if I was an eight year old on Christmas morning.  Uh-oh.  It was a fully intact rabbit, just cut into about eight pieces...bones, ribs, joints and all.  Ok.  I could do this.  I was up for the challenge.  No big deal.  I sharpened my knife, and started slicing away like I was a butcher in a small Italian town.  And before I knew it, I had six slabs of meat and a pile of bones.  I did it.  The hardest part was over. 

After spending as much money as I did on this glorious little rabbit, I wanted to use it to the fullest.  So I pulled out the Dutch oven, sauteed some carrots and onions, tossed in a few sprigs of rosemary and the pile of bones with several cups worth of water.  I would make rabbit stock.  And as it turned out, shredded rabbit.  There was a ton of meat left on the bones that I hadn't cut off.   So thank you dear bunny...you gave me many many meals worth of goodness.

After spending hours butchering, stuffing, sauteeing, braising, and finally tasting...I was spent.  I actually took a few swigs from the Prosecco bottle before pouring it into the pan.  After sitting down and eating a nice plateful of rabbit with apricot and cranberry sauce, I very slowly and intentionally portioned some of the recipe into a reheatable dish...taped it shut and took it over to M, J and W's house, for their dinner tomorrow night.  This nice little rabbit needed to be shared.  Hopefully they will taste the TLC. 

What a great experience to go through.  Though extremely small in this great big world, it was a big deal to me...one of those defining moments in the kitchen...by myself, with just a knife, a cutting board, a rabbit and an unlocked door just in case I needed an escape route. 

But no...no escape route needed.  Cooking an entire rabbit was quite a feat for me.  If you are up for the challenge, this recipe is quite rewarding in more ways than one.  Please click Here to see all the other great recipe swapper's rabbit experiences and recipes...I can't wait to do the same.

Prosecco Bathed Rabbit with Pecans and Apricots

Adapted from Mario Batali on Foodnetwork.com

Yields 4 servings

1 rabbit (or enough pieces for 4 servings)

1/2 cup pecans

2 large cloves garlic (or 3 medium), peeled and roughly cut

1/2 cup olive oil, divided in half

1 tsp fresh rosemary, roughly chopped

1/2 Tbsp ground black pepper

Butcher twine

1 medium red onion, diced

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup dried apricots, cut into small chunks

1 bottle Prosecco

Carefully open your package of rabbit meat.  Slice the meat off the bone into as many large pieces as possible.

In a food processor, add in the pecans, garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, rosemary and pepper.  Blend until it makes a paste.  With a spoon, spread the paste over all the pieces of meat.  Slowly and carefully roll the meat.  Secure it by tying butcher twine on the two ends of each piece (see picture above for an idea).

In a large saute pan heated over medium heat, pour in the other 1/4 cup olive oil.  Allow the oil to heat.  With tongs, place each rabbit roll into the pan.  Cook each side until all sides are fully lightly browned.  Add in the onions, cranberries and apricots and saute until onions have softened...about 5-10 minutes.  Now the fun part.  Pop open the Prosecco.  Take a swig if you need one.  Pour the whole bottle into the pan.  It will bubble and become quite frothy.  Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer.  Partially cover or use a splash cover.  Cook for about 45-50 minutes.  Every 10-15 or so, turn the rabbit rolls to ensure it is evenly cooking and give it a good stir.  Cook until the meat is super tender.  If the liquid evaporates too much, add a little water. 

When done, remove the rabbit and cut the strings off.  Arrange onto a platter and spoon the sauce over the rolls.  Garnish with fresh rosemary.  Serve with roasted cauliflower and herb seasoned rice for a nice warm meal.