“When it’s done right, rabbit is terrific,” said Melissa Clark in The New York Times. It’s hard to know why Americans turned away from this onetime staple, making rabbit a bit pricey and hard to find. But rabbit has “an earthier, sweeter taste” than chicken, and it’s versatile, readily absorbing strong flavors like the garlic and lemon in this dish.
Recipe of the week: Roasted rabbit with olives and feta
- One 3-lb rabbit, cut into 8 pieces by a butcher
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
- 6 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup non-dry white wine, such as Riesling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 thin slices lemon, seeded
- ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 4 oz French feta cheese, crumbled
Place rabbit pieces in a large bowl. Toss with rosemary, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
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Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a saucepan over medium heat, simmer wine until reduced by half. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add rabbit in a single layer. Cook until meat is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes a side. (If garlic gets too dark before rabbit is finished browning, put on top of the rabbit to keep it from cooking more.)
Put lemon slices, olives, and half the butter into the pan. Pour in reduced wine. Cover and transfer to oven for 5 minutes. Uncover and scatter feta over top. Continue cooking until rabbit is just cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes more. Stir in remaining butter and more salt if needed. Serves 2 to 4.
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