ITALIAN-STYLE BRAISED RABBIT WITH ROSEMARY AND MUSHROOMS

Italian-Style Braised Rabbit With Rosemary and Mushrooms image

Provided by David Tanis

Time 1h30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

1 whole rabbit (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Flour, for dusting
2 cups onions, finely diced
2 cups leeks, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons rosemary, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon crumbled dry porcini mushrooms, soaked in warm water to soften, drained and finely chopped
8 ounces cremini or portobello mushrooms, thickly sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes, or home-preserved, if possible
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup unsalted chicken broth

Steps:

Cut the rabbit into 9 pieces (or ask your butcher to) as follows: with a sharp cleaver, cut the saddle (center portion) into 3 pieces, leaving the kidneys attached. Cut the front portion (front legs) in half through the backbone. Chop each hind leg into 2 pieces. Reserve the liver and heart to sauté as a snack.
Heat .25 inch of olive oil in a Dutch oven or deep, wide heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour. Lightly brown the rabbit for about 3 minutes on both sides, working in batches. Drain on kitchen towels, then transfer to a baking dish in one layer. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Pour off the used oil, wipe out the pan and add 2 tablespoons fresh oil. Heat to medium-high, add the onions and cook till soft, about 5 minutes. Add the leek, garlic, rosemary and mushrooms. Season generously with salt and pepper, and add red pepper flakes to taste. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring.
Add the chopped tomatoes and wine, and let the mixture reduce for 1 minute. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, taste and adjust seasonings.
Ladle the mixture evenly over the rabbit. Cover the dish, and bake for 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 629, UnsaturatedFat 16 grams, Carbohydrate 22 grams, Fat 27 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 68 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 1532 milligrams, Sugar 9 grams, TransFat 0 grams