To begin, shoot a fat young rabbit.
I started by removing the fore and hind legs, then separated the saddle and deboned it.
I then cleaned up all the meat off the carcass, minced it, and then set it aside to make a meat stuffing.
The rest of the carcass was cut up to make a stock for the stuffing and a gravy.
For the stock I browned the pieces in butter, then added minced celery, onion, carrot and a little parsley and rosemary and continued till veggies were tender.
Added 2C of water and brought to a fast simmer, simmered for several hours.
Strain and reduce, add a little more butter and salt to taste.
Add a little cornstarch to thicken.
To make the stuffing the minced rabbit was browned in butter with celery, onion and parsley.
Then combined with some bread crumbs, whisked egg, rabbit stock, milk and salt.
Bacon Wrapped Wino Rabbit
I set the fore and hind legs to marinating in:
2C Red wine
.5C Honey
1/8C chopped Parsley
1/8C chopped Rosemary
2T Lemon zest
2T salt
1 Bay leaf
Combine all in a small sauce pan and bring to a slow boil.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Add legs and marinade together in a Ziploc and marinate for 6-12 hours.
They were then wrapped in bacon and fried in olive oil and butter to crisp the bacon, and then transferred to the 375° oven with the Stuffed Saddle to finish.
Stuffed Saddle of Rabbit
I laid down bacon and fresh basil, upon this the boneless saddle.
Seasoned with some fresh ground garlic/pepper medley, and then the stuffing.
Rolled it all up and trussed it with twine.
This roll was fried in olive oil and butter to crisp the bacon and then transferred to the 375° oven with the Wino Rabbit to finish.
Both the Saddle and Wino were cooked to a minimum 160° IT.
The Stuffed Saddle was sliced and served with the gravy.
My younger son plated his with some carrots and started laughing, he said, "Now this is ironic."
