SHINSATO FARM RABBIT

Local animal protein is starting to become more accessible to home cooks on Oahu.
In addition to beef, pork, and chicken, you can now find local VENISON and rabbit. Ed
Kenney started slinging pork and tasty porchetta sandwiches at the KAKAAKO FARMERS
MARKET a few months back to help SHINSATO FARMS move product and recently added
rabbit to his offerings.

a taste of Superettes porchetta

I jumped (or hopped) at the opportunity to play around with some bunny and talked
with Ed about his experience working with wabbit at his westaurants. Through Eds
input, the wonders of google, and my imagination, I managed to use the entire rabbit
in three tasty meals.
Rabbit is extremely easy to butcher. It took just a few minutes to divide the skinned,
headless carcass into neat, manageable pieces. I first separated the forelegs, then
the rear, followed by chopping off the end of the spine and pelvis. Rabbit bones are
easy to cut through and my 8 chefs knife was sufficient. Next, I cut along the spine
and separated the loin and saddle, leaving the ribs attached to the loin for aesthetics.
I roasted the bones and made stock.

before

after
Following Eds advice, I made a white ragu with the forelegs. I went with my usual
ragu base, but added sprigs of thyme and didnt include tomato. In a bath of white
wine and rabbit stock, I simmered the ragu for about 5 hours, then added fresh
tagliatelle and topped with MAO parsley and pecorino.

ragu, tagliatelle, pecorino

I wrapped the saddles in prosciutto, and then browned them and the ribs in duck fat
and finished to medium in the oven. I sauted the liver and kidneys, keeping them
pink in the center, and served everything over a fig/port puree and covered in jus.

saddle, loin, offal, fig

The rabbits swansong came in the form of braised legs, another Chef Ed suggestion.
I went coq au vin style and rendered lardons in NAKED COW DAIRY truffle butter,
browned and removed the legs, added and softened the mir poix, then dumped half a
bottle of red, rabbit stock, and herbs, returned the rabbit, and braised for a
couple hours. I put everything except for the rabbit in the vitamix, and then thinned
the sauce out with a little more stock. I hit the leg with my Searzall and served it, well
sauced, over CAMAS COUNTRY MILL heirloom polenta. For the polenta, I went 4:1 liquid
to cornmeal, using half milk and half rabbit stock, and finished with an ungodly
amount of butter and pecorino.

braised leg, polenta

My rabbit adventure was a success. The meat itself was juicy, tender, and tasty. It did
not taste like chicken. The 2.5-pound rabbit cost $30 and provided three meals for
two people. If youd like to try for yourself, visit KAIMUKI SUPERETTE at the Kakaako
Farmers Market on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.