When I was little I horrified a playmate in the US by asking her when her pet rabbit would be ready for butchering -- it never occurred to me that one would keep a rabbit for any other purpose, since I'd seen dozens of rabbits butchered in the kitchen of the villa that hosted my father's excavation south of Siena. This is a Lombard recipe for rabbit with herbs (bay leaves, in particular), from the area around Brianza. Rabbits being fairly small, I would expect it to serve 4 or at the most 6.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 rabbit chopped into 10 pieces
- 1 ounce (25 g) pancetta, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 leaf sage
- A pinch of fresh rosemary leaves
- 3 bay leaves
- Salt & pepper to taste
Preparation:
You should use fresh herbs if possible, though dry will work in a pinch. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet, and when they have melted and begin to crackle add the herbs and stir for a minute or so. Add the meat and cook, turning the pieces, until they're browned on all sides. Salt the meat, cover it, reduce the heat to a very low simmer, and cook until done -- depending upon the rabbit, it will require between an hour 15 minutes and 2 hours. Do check the pot every now and then beforehand, however, and should the meat be drying out, add a couple of tablespoons of water or broth.
Note: This form of slow cooking is called an arrosto morto in Tuscany -- a "dead roast," which sits in a pot, as opposed to the live one that turns on a spit. More arrosti morti.
A wine? A Valcalepio Rosso would be nice, as would a Bardolino.
Note: This form of slow cooking is called an arrosto morto in Tuscany -- a "dead roast," which sits in a pot, as opposed to the live one that turns on a spit. More arrosti morti.
A wine? A Valcalepio Rosso would be nice, as would a Bardolino.
