RABBIT RAGOUT
-By October 2012 Member Spotlight Matthew Dimeo
Yield: Serves 2 people
Ingredients:
- Olive oil – 1 T
- Butter – 1 T
- Pancetta – 2 oz
- Whole rabbit – 1 ea
- AP Flour (seasoned) – 2 C
- Mirepoix(small dice) – 1 C
- Dried mushooms (porcini) – 4 ea
- Garlic – 1 T
- Butter – 1 oz
- Flour – 1 oz
- Tomato Paste – 2 T
- White wine – ½ C
- Chicken Stock (or rabbit) – 1 QT.
- Crushed Red pepper – TT
- Bouquet Garni – 1 ea, fresh sprig of thyme, rosemary, oregano, 4ea parsley stems
- S&P – TT
- Butter – 1 oz
- Chopped Italian Parsley – 2 T
- Orange – ½ ea
Procedure:
- Fabricate rabbit into 6 parts and dredge well in seasoned flour, dusting off excess flour as needed. In a large oven ready skillet, brown rabbit well in olive oil and butter. Remove rabbit pieces and set aside. Discard excess fat from pan and render pancetta over medium heat until it begins to brown and crisp. In a separate sauce pan, bring chicken stock to a simmer. Soak dried mushrooms in hot water until softened.
- Add butter to the pancetta and caramelize mirepoix on medium heat. After vegetables are well browned, (about 10-12 minutes) add garlic and sauté for another minute. Add flour and stir to make roux. Cook roux and vegetables until roux has achieved a blond stage, (about 6-8 minutes.) Add tomato paste and crushed red pepper and sauté for1-2 minutes. Deglaze with white wine. Slowly whisk in stock and the reconstituted mushrooms with liquid. Add bouquet garni and orange half. Bring mixture to a slow simmer and add browned rabbit pieces back into the sauce mixture.
- Cover with foil and place in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until rabbit is tender and sauce has reduced. Remove rabbit from the pan and if desired, strain the sauce into small sauce pan reduce if necessary. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the fresh chopped parsley, and finish by whisking in whole butter. Allow rabbit to cool and tear off all the meat from the carcass and add it to the sauce. Serve by tossing ragu with fresh cooked pasta or gnocchi and top with grated parmesano reggiano. Eat it!
