Well my cute little bunny story goes something like this...it is getting colder... hunting season started November 7th...wild game is more active this time of year, and guns are going off in the distance...but...here in NJ things fall off trucks, and end up sold on the street...or given as gifts or favors...and end up in Joe Smoe's freezer...and somehow it gets into my freezer...guns somehow might be related...that is my story...and I am sticking to it!
STOCK: Purchase some bone in veal chops; cut away the meat...make stock from the bones, onions, carrots, leeks, herbs,peppercorns and salt; start from no heat to low simmer on the stove; skim the foam that rises and discard (it is what keeps the stock clear); after a few or more hours hours set pot in ice bath...fridge...ready to use...bag up in air tight containers and keep in freezer for up to three months!
Brine-
Kosher Sea Salt
I Leek
1 Shallot
1 crushed Garlic
Fresh Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
12 Whole Pepper Corns
1 Cup White Burgundy Wine
Enough Veal Stock to cover Rabbit Loin in bowl
-I always barely warm the stock/brine and place all ingredients in...just before meat...makes me feel like it melds more efficiently. Slice the rabbit into chunks; cover and place in fridge overnight. Discard the brine (but I pull out good stuff for baking dish).
Next evening take veal meat with a few piece of the rabbit and brown in pan with shallots; add some cleaned carrots; brown; in baking dish place veal and rabbit loin; along with more thyme, bay leaf, garlic, and chopped carrots.
-bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender.
I bought a trio of 'pearl' or 'boil' onions and was going to add them, but honestly they were so darn small I just clipped the tops, add to boiling water, cool and then removed the outer skins, and set aside; then I took pan and added boiled onions and wine and deglaze the pan and added at the end. I was going for a look, and if I had cooked them in the bake, they would have yielded to the heat, not as pretty.
I served it with toasted whole grain bread like a good Irish girl would, and sauted a side of kale to add those good greens to our diet!
Check out this bloggers recipe...if I had not already smoked my trout, I had some applewood I could have used on this critter! http://carolcookskeller.blogspot.com/2008/04/saddle-of-rabbit-in-applewood-smoked.html