4 servings
1 ea Spanish onion, peeled and -sliced
2 ea Stalks of celery, chopped
2 sm Carrots, chopped
2 ea Sprigs of thyme
2 ea Bay leaves
12 ea Black peppercorns
1 ea Rabbit
2 ea Cloves of garlic, quartered
16 sm Fresh sage leaves
2 1/2 c Extra virgin olive oil
1 ea Crusty Italian ring loaf of -bread (preferably day-old)
–
Mesclun, to serve Lemon wedges (optional),
Bring 6 liters of salted water to the boil in a large saucepan.
Add onion, celery, carrot, herbs and peppercorns and return
to the boil. Skim surface. Add rabbit and return to the
boil. Reduce heat to lowest setting, cover and simmer very
gently for 1 hour, or until rabbit is tender. Remove from
heat and cool rabbit in cooking liquid. Remove rabbit from
liquid, strip meat from bones and place it in a single layer
on a plate or tray. Season meat generously with salt and
freshly ground black pepper.
Return bones to cooking liquid and boil again to make stock
to freeze for another purpose, if desired. Transfer rabbit
to a bowl. Add garlic, sage and oil just to cover. Using
your hands, mix ingredients to combine, then cover and refrigerate
for 48 hours.
Cut bread into 1cm-thick slices and brush both sides with
remaining oil combined with 1 teaspoon sea salt. Place in
a single layer on a rack on an oven tray and bake at 150C
for 30 minutes, or until pale golden. Using a slotted spoon,
remove rabbit from oil, and serve at room temperature with
warm bruschetta, mesclun and lemon wedges, if desired.
