Here comes Peter Cottontail....

I've been circling the Countryside Family Farms booth for weeks thinking about the listing for rabbit. I've bought chickens from them, but rabbit - now that's interesting.

I've had rabbit several times and always enjoyed it - the first time at Jeffrey's in college so what's not to love. But, I'd never cooked rabbit so that made me a little nervous. As Easter eases up on us, I decided it was time for Peter Cottontail and me to have a date.

Under strict orders to not cook the rabbit in my sister's kitchen, I came home Sunday afternoon and started down the rabbit hole. My friend Carissa told me about a great rabbit pasta she had at Stortini recently, so I followed their lead and found a pasta recipe as well. I adapted it from a recipe from Emeril and, if I do say so myself, it was pretty tasty. I just had a serving of leftovers and it's even good the second time around (which is really good because it makes about 8 servings, so the freezer is full.)

There are a couple of cautions with this recipe. Cut the rabbit in to pieces like you would a chicken - I even used my poultry shears. Second, if you cook the rabbit until it's falling off the bones you are probably going to lose some bones in the sauce. I would probably cook it about 10 minutes less than I did this time so it would be easier to get the rabbit meat out with the bones.

Try it! You'll like it! Will you eat it if I tell you it tastes like chicken?

Stewed Rabbit Ragu on Pappardelle
Adapted from a recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2002

1 (2 1/2-pound) rabbit, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows (I didn't have this, but I had some Cajun seasoning in the cabinet so I used that. Don't tell Emeril.)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped carrots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons tomato paste (I didn't have tomato paste so I used a can of tomatoes and it was fine)
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups veal stock (I used chicken broth because I don't have veal stock laying around the house. If you do - go for it.)
8 ounces wild mushrooms, such as wood ear, shiitake, morel, or chanterelle, wiped clean, stems trimmed, and tops sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces pappardelle (wide flat pasta strips), or fettuccini (I used penne because I had it in the pantry.)

Season the rabbit on all sides with the Essence, then lightly dust with the flour, shaking to remove any excess. In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the rabbit and cook until brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

In the fat remaining in the pan, add the onions, celery, and carrots, and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the red wine and veal stock and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan. Add the mushrooms, parsley, basil, and cooked rabbit and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the meat is cooked through and falls from the bones, about 2 hours.
Remove the pan from the heat. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves, and discard. Remove the rabbit and place on a cutting board and let cool slightly. Remove the meat from the bones and shred. Return the meat to the pan and return to a simmer. Simmer until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the butter and stir until incorporated. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, 8 to 9 minutes. Add the pasta to the pot with the sauce. Toss to coat.

To serve, divide among pasta bowls, sprinkle with cheese and additional parsley, and serve immediately.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup
Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.