Bunny Braised in Belgian Ale Recipe

Fall pertains to Sacramento later than much of the nation, however come it does. The winds blow and the leaves scatter and all one desires for dinner is a warming stew. In this dish we are braising bunny, over onions and celery root, in a sauce of Belgian ale and whole grain mustard. It's a carbonnade of sorts, however with bunny, and is best along with crusty bread to sop up the sauce or over a batch of egg noodles.

If you are not familiar with cooking rabbit, you can frequently discover whole frozen bunnies and specialty markets. If you can, call ahead and have the butcher defrost and part out the bunny.

Bunny Braised in Belgian Ale Recipe

Ingredients

• One 2 1/2 to 3 pound bunny, cut into 6 to 7 serving pieces (2 front legs, 2 back legs, the loin cut into 2 to 3 pieces), plus ribs and flap meat
• Salt
• 1/2 cup all function flour for dredging
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 medium onions, sliced stem to root (about 2 1/2 cups sliced).
• 4-6 entire cloves of garlic, peeled.
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, tied together with cooking area string (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme).
• 1 1/2 cups of Belgian ale, such as Chimay or Ommengang.
• 1/2 cup of chicken stock.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• 1/2 teaspoon newly ground black pepper.
• 1 celery root, peeled and diced.
• 2 teaspoons entire grained mustard.
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar.
• 1 Tbsp sliced fresh parsley.

Method

Place bunny pieces on a platter, spray both sides with kosher salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour.

Place flour on plate. Dredge rabbit pieces in flour. Heat oil and butter in a big Dutch oven on medium heat (large adequate to fit bunny pieces in a single layer). Once the butter is melted and foamy, include the bunny pieces in a single layer to the pot. Brown on one side without stirring for 5 to 6 minutes. Then turn the pieces over and brown on the other side. Get rid of to a plate.

Add the sliced up onions to the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly brown, scraping up and browned rabbit bits from the bottom of the pot. Include garlic cloves and thyme, cook until onions are soft and the garlic quite aromatic.

Increase the heat to high and include the Belgian ale. Let it simmer for a minute or 2, then add the stock. Add a half teaspoon of salt and the freshly ground black pepper.

Place the diced celery root over the onions in a single layer. Place the browned rabbit pieces over the celery root. Bring to a simmer. Cover and lower heat to keep a very low simmer. Cook for 45 minutes, or till the rabbit is just prepared through and tender.

Remove rabbit pieces from the pot and keep warm on a platter. Increase the heat to high and decrease the liquid by one 3rd. Then, reduce the heat to low, stir in the mustard and sugar. Taste and add more salt and pepper in needed.

Slice the flap meat pieces of the rabbit into strips and return to the pot. Strip away any available meat from the back and chest parts and return meat to the pot. Include the serving pieces to the pot. Cover and let rewarm for a minute. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.
Serve with crusty bread, egg noodles, or rice pilaf, in addition to some Belgian ale.

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