Easter Bunny Stew

Easter Bunny Stew

Great step by step video (written recipe follows) on making a classic Hasenpfeffer, with a twist.  Serve it for Easter or anytime...You will need:

• 3-4 pounds rabbit meat
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• Salt to season
• ½ pound bacon
• 2 shallots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onion
• 2-3 parsnips
• 6-8 baby potatoes
• 8-10 peppercorns
• 1 tbsp currant jelly
• 2 bay leaves
• ¾ tbsp rosemary
• ¾ tbsp thyme
• 300 ml dry red wine
• 1-1.5L chicken stock
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup cider vinegar

For the gravy:

•  3-4 tbsp all purpose flour
•  3-4 tbsp butter
•  ½ tbsp thyme
•  Juice of half a lemon
•  A few ladles of braising liquid

Take apart the rabbit, setting aside the legs and shoulder, which we’ll be using in the stew. Take the loin out as you can just sear that off with a little salt, pepper, lemon, and herb and that will be awesome by itself.

The meat might smell a little gamey, but if you brine it overnight (or at least a few hours) it’ll be alright. We brined ours in 4 litres of water, ½ cup salt, 10 peppercorns and a couple bay leaves.When the brining is done, take it out and dry with kitchen towels. Take rabbit and lightly dredge in flour.Heat a large pot or dutch oven on medium high heat and fry up ½ lb of chopped bacon to render out the fat. Remove the bacon, keeping the fat, and brown the rabbit pieces on both sides. When they’re browned, remove and set aside.In that same pot, sautee 2 diced shallots, 3 cloves of minced garlic, a chopped medium onion, and a ¼ lb of bacon. When the onions are looking translucent, deglaze with 2 cups of dry red wine, then add 1.5 litres of chicken stock and a splash of cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, stir in 1 tablespoon of currant jelly, 10 whole peppercorns and ¾ of a tablespoon each of fresh thyme and rosemary. Submerge the rabbit in the liquid and add 2 or 3 chopped parsnips.Cover and let simmer on medium heat for 1.5 – 2 hours or until rabbit is tender, almost falling off the bone. In the last half hour, add 6-8 baby potatoes, cover and continue to cook until they are fork tender. Remove rabbit and root veg for plating.When the stew is done, make a roux by whisking a tablespoon of butter over medium high heat with some flour to make a paste. Cook that paste for a minute or two to give it a little colour, then add in some of the liquid from the stew. Combine with more thyme, season with salt and pepper and there’s your gravy.Recipe found on theaimlesscook.com