Fast forward 35 years and I decided that serving rabbit on Good Friday was the perfect meal to begin our Easter weekend. With my trusty shopping companions in tow we headed off to Les Halles for our ingredients.
Grace's expression pretty much sums up the anticipation and excitement she had as her father set out on another culinary adventure. She was quite certain that it was not going to taste like chicken. Lily on the other hand was not quite sure what she was in for and is having fun showing off a necklace recently purchased in London. With four nice sized rabbit thighs in our shopping cart we headed to the legume and fruit stand to round out our meal. It is currently asparagus season in Provence and I have never seen so many different varieties to choose from. In Canada I am lucky if I can find a locally grown green asparagus in spring at the grocery store .
Grace and Lily happily displaying the chocolate eggs the owner of the store gave them. I must say that these two little cuties do get quite a few freebies.
The previously mentioned asparagus options, all with their own specific flavour and utilization. I usually opt for the familiar green variety.
We headed home and began the process of putting together our meal.
All of the necessary ingredients for a wonderful french meal!
As I looked at the recipe, I experienced a surge of confidence and decided to invite a french friend over to join us. Always the risk taker!
I combined the rabbit with shallots, garlic and butter and ensured that the pieces were browned evenly. I then slowly poured in some cognac into the saucepan and to Grace's horror I brought out a match to ignite the cognac. Having never witnessed her father flambé supper before, Grace was sure that I was being "Danger Boy". I reassured her that I knew what I was doing (bit of a lie there) and poof up went the flames.
I added enough white wine (keeping a fair bit for supper - a french obligation) and chicken stock to cover the rabbit. Following 30 minutes of simmering I added some tasty brown mushrooms and two tomatoes chopped with skin and seeds removed. The rabbit pieces were then removed and I added fresh taragon and fresh chives along with the ever-important 2 tablespoons of butter. I cooked the sauce for 5 minutes or so and presto poured it over the rabbit and awaited the response from the assembled food critics (Grace, Lily, Ginger and our french guest). The result: a resounding success! Lily asked to have rabbit everyday and Grace went back for seconds. Those were the two that mattered the most but our dinner guest was also quite impressed. I found the rabbit to be surprisingly mild and the sauce was impeccable.
I think I may have difficulties finding rabbit in Mission (though I am told I can head over to the University of Victoria campus and have my choice of free range rabbits) but my cookbook assures me that I can use chicken as well though Hunter's Chicken doesn't quite have the same ring.
If anyone is interested in the recipe: page 179, The Provençal Cookbook.
Mmmmmm....I am almost certain I could smell it as I was reading :)
ReplyDeleteBarry- Our girls are asking daily for a PET rabbit and Ryan has assured them that the only rabbit entering our house will be for a stew. He will be most pleased with your blog and I am sure he will have both girls to the computer for a read first thing tomorrow morning. I on the other hand share Grace's first expression although I am pleased it did not taste like chicken, as that seems like such a waste for so many creatures. Come home and do it with chicken and I'm there!
ReplyDeletelove, Karen
Hi Barry,
ReplyDeleteI often brag to friends about your culinery skills and how clever it was of my daughter to choose a husband who had "Experimental Chef" on his resume! You continue to get high marks from us, and an added commendation for the fun and educational shopping excursions with the girls!
The rabbit really did look delicious!
Joan
Barry, we really enjoyed this blog. Great photos! We laughed at Grace’s facial expression in the market. So glad that the meal was a great hit with everyone. Good job! If you had published this blog a year ago when the UVic campus was being overrun with rabbits I would seriously have recommended that you submit it to the Times Colonist newspaper as a feature article. For years there has been an ongoing dispute in the editorial pages over how to deal with the thousand or so rabbits that were destroying gardens and lawns on campus and in the surrounding neighbourhoods. Your example would have promoted an obvious solution, for sure. But, finally, after years of hand-wringing and indecision, the campus managers have braved the wrath of the animal rights activists and declared UVic to be a rabbit-free zone. They've rounded up all those “wascally wabbits” and shipped them off up-Island to Coombs and to Texas, of all places.
ReplyDeleteLorne