Sunday, December 4, 2011

The Other White Meat


When I tell someone how much I love to eat rabbit I usually get one of two reactions.  Either he wrinkles his nose, screws up his face and envisions eating a giant rat or he puts on a sad clown face and imagines the family pet going under the knife.  (See Kathy’s previous post about Mike’s reluctance to dine on rabbit).

Such was Tim’s reaction when we invited him to dinner this weekend. He told the story of his father, a gentleman farmer, who after experimenting with various forms of livestock many years ago, decided to raise rabbits.  One day, the father told his sons he was going out to harvest some rabbits.  The boys didn’t give it much thought until later that night when they were served a funny looking chicken for dinner.  With horror, Tim realized how his father had spent the afternoon.  “Is this Fluffy or Snowball?” he sadly asked his dad.

People who don’t think twice about eating a pig or a lamb get all misty eyed when faced with eating a fluffy cousin of Bugs.  Even my husband, usually devoid of any sentimentality where pets are concerned, whined a bit about how cute the rabbit I was struggling to butcher probably was at one point.  “Poor fuzzy little thing,” He whimpered.

Granted, a whole frozen bunny looks a bit scary on a butcher block but my love for rabbit has long outweighed any squeamishness I may have early on about this underappreciated meat.  I ordered it twice while in Italy recently because I knew it’s next to impossible to find locally.

So when Kathy and I saw them for sale recently at the Hollywood Farmer’s market I snapped up the last one, bought a second later at a local butcher shop and started menu planning.

For the record, rabbits aren’t rodents.  They are members of the order Lagomorpha. They also don’t taste like chicken. They are much, much better.

I promise I could make a convert out of you.  

Braised Rabbit with Lemons and Rosemary
 
Serves 6 generously or 8.

Slightly adapted from Oranges and Olives by Sara Jenkins and Mindy Fox (one of our favorite cookbooks).






The lemon peel in this recipe is sublime with each bite of rabbit. As a result I’ve added more here than originally called for.  Jenkins and Fox advise getting a nice brown crust on the rabbit before adding liquid—a step that requires patience and not over-crowding the pan. Otherwise the meat steams rather than browns.

This rabbit should be served with polenta, rice or plain smashed potatoes. And for a bit of color and comedy, roasted carrots are a great side.

4 Lemons, preferably organic, unwaxed and unsprayed.
Two 2 ½ pound rabbits, cut lengthwise in half then into 8 roughly equal pieces.
Kosher salt and fresh, coarsely ground black pepper
¼ cup plus two tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
8 fresh rosemary sprigs cut in half crosswise
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup water

Note: I ended up using about 50% more wine and water in the same proportions to yield enough volume to just cover the meat.





Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut the peel from the lemon using a vegetable peeler in wide vertical strips. Avoid the bitter white pith and set aside.

Pat the rabbit dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil over high heat in a heavy enameled cast iron Dutch oven (or other heavy pot).  Add 3-4 rabbit pieces and brown well on all sides (about 4-6 minutes per side). Remove to a bowl as they are done and repeat with the remaining pieces.

Reduce heat to low and add the 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, lemon peel and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is slightly brown, about 2 minutes.  Add wine, bring to a simmer, and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.  Add the rabbit pieces and any juices, putting the largest, meatiest pieces on the bottom of the pan.

Add the water, bring to simmer, cover and braise in oven until rabbit is tender, about one hour and 20 minutes.

Remove rabbit to a warm platter and tent with foil. Return pot to the stovetop over high heat and reduce to one cup, about 25 minutes. 

Serve the rabbit with the juices spooned over, being sure to include some lemon peel with each serving.


Rolling Into (or Out of?) Middle Age


As previously mentioned, I turned 50 this summer.  With that milestone have come the inevitable physical signs of a half century of life and the need to eat a bit more consciously. But I’ve got company: My friends’ dietary habits are changing with the times too.  One pal can’t eat gluten. One’s off dairy. Some friends can eat sheep and goat cheese but not cow milk cheese.  Another friend will only eat meat if it once swam in the sea. While some of us are trying to make up for lost time, others in my circle have had healthy habits from the start. One friend hasn’t eaten anything with a face in decades and another hasn’t eaten red meat since we were in college.

Dinner parties these days are a bit challenging. It’s rare to host a gathering where someone doesn’t have some sort of restriction. Though all are gracious guests, the gracious host will try to adapt accordingly.  And, while I’m loathe to change my own eating habits I know that all these restrictions should really be my own. So, the discipline of thoughtful meal planning emerges a bit more often these days and nudges me into cuisines that are better suited to me now whether or not I want to admit it.

It’s hard to beat a Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam cheese and a hunk of salami for an appetizer but that delicious duo won’t do your cholesterol level any favors. These Vietnamese Spring Rolls will make everyone happy and they’re guilt free. One dipping sauce accommodates any vegetarians at the party and the other is fine for people on a gluten free diet. Plus, the rolls are fun to assemble and very pretty on the plate.

Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Two Dipping Sauces

Adapted from various epicurious.com recipes

It’s important to have all the ingredients prepared before beginning assembly of the rolls. Any combination of fillings works well. Feel free to omit or add filling ingredients according to what’s in your fridge. Cooked shrimp halves, julienned red bell pepper, matchstick sized pieces of cooked pork, avocado are all wonderful additions.

12 8-to-9 inch Rice Paper Rounds
4 oz. dried, thin Rice Stick Noodles (maifun
1 package Firm Tofu
Toasted Sesame Oil
Soy Sauce or Gluten Free Tamari

6-8 ounces shitake mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
Olive Oil

One Half of an English Cucumber, seeded and cut into thin, 4 inch long spears
2 cups Mung Bean Sprouts
2 carrots peeled and shredded
2 cups Pea Sprouts (optional)

1 cup finely chopped dry roasted peanuts,

1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup small fresh basil leaves
12 small butter lettuce or red leaf lettuce leaves



Drain block of Tofu and cut in half horizontally. Lay a couple of paper towels on top of a clean dish towel. Place each piece of tofu on top of the towels. Cover the tofu with a couple more paper towels and a second dish towel. Place a heavy skillet large enough to cover the tofu on top and allow the weighted tofu to drain for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Slice the tofu into ½ inch thick strips and place on a silpat or parchment paper on top of a sheet plan.

Whisk together a tablespoon of the sesame oil and two tablespoons of soy sauce. Brush each side of the tofu sticks with the sauce.

Bake tofu for about an hour (flipping the sticks over after 30 minutes) until the sticks are firm and golden brown. Cool.

Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon or two of oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Cool.

Add rice sticks to a large saucepan of boiling water and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, place in bowl and toss with a tablespoon or two of rice vinegar. Cool.

Fill a wide shallow bowl or dish with warm water. Add 1 rice-paper sheet and turn until beginning to soften, about 20 seconds (sheet will still be stiff in a few spots). Remove from water; drain on linen kitchen towel.

Place a lettuce leaf across the bottom half of the rice paper round leaving a one inch border on each end. Add few mint, cilantro, and basil leaves on top. Top with a tablespoon or so of rice sticks, shaping into compact log. Top with a few bean sprouts, a cucumber spear, a couple teaspoons of shredded carrot, a tofu stick, and a couple of mushrooms. Sprinkle with some roasted peanuts. Fold bottom of each rice sheet over filling, then fold in ends and roll into tight cylinder. Place rolls, seam side down, on platter. Repeat with remaining rice paper rolls. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover with damp paper towel and plastic wrap; chill.) Cut each roll diagonally in half. Arrange on platter and serve with sauces.

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons fermented fish sauce (nam pla)*
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced jalapeño chili with seeds

Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Let stand at least 30 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

Spicy Peanut Sauce
Makes about 1 cup

3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup water

In a small saucepan cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until garlic is golden. Whisk in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer sauce, whisking, until thickened, about 1 minute. Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.