The Tale of Pita Rabbit

Really, I've got to give myself a pat on the back for the clever title. 

In retrospect, I should have thrown together a cute little side salad of lettuces, French beans, radishes, and parsley - the things that naughty little Peter Rabbit munched on in Mr. MacGregor's garden - but instead, I simply had these rich, delicious pita sandwiches with a glass of slightly chilled Chardonnay.  Mr. MacGregor, you can keep your lettuces - but if you catch any mischievous rabbits, I'll help Mrs. MacGregor turn them into a delicious treat!

So what made me decide to put rabbit in a pita pocket?  Top Chef!  Rabbit was the ingredient assigned to all the contestants, and as they scrambled to create their dishes, I thought about a creative dish I could make with rabbit, which was difficult, because although I've eaten rabbit, I've never cooked it.  This, ladies and gentlemen, presented a challenge that I gladly accepted.  I decided that I would learn to cook rabbit, and I'd make something creative.  Maybe the composition of the dish was not creative, but I liked the idea of a unique theme - Pita Rabbit, which sounds like a Bostonian speaking the words "Peter Rabbit."  Drumroll, please...

Rabbit isn't one of those things you're likely to find at the mega-mart, so unless you know a hunter (as not many of us city folk do), you have to seek it out at butcher shops or by mail order.  I called several of my tried-and-true butcher shops, and Savenor's was the only one that had any fresh rabbit on hand.  I know that many of the butcher shops in Boston sell rabbit, especially Boston's North End, but not everyone has rabbit in stock at all times, so I'm glad I decided to call in advance.  After all, rabbit isn't a popular meat. 

I took the advice of the butcher at Savenor's, who cautioned me about the presence of tiny pinbones and recommenced cooking the meat "slow and low," which means cooking something for a long time at a low temperature.  I cooked the rabbit with a sauteed shallot in wine, chicken, and lemongrass mint vinegar for about four hours, then I let it cool overnight. 

The next day, I shredded the cooked rabbit meat with my fingers and served it in warmed pitas with traditional Greek/Mediterranean accompaniments.  These sandwiches are packed full of healthy ingredients, yet extremely rich and satisfying.  If you're squeamish about cooking rabbit, feel free to make these with dark meat chicken, but the flavor will not be the same.  The recipe below will fill two whole pita pockets, or four halves.  When all the ingredients are prepared in advance, these make a super-quick, super-easy meal! 


Braised Rabbit

1 T. butter
1 shallot, minced
1/2 - 1 lb. rabbit parts
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 c. chicken broth
splash lemongrass & mint vinegar or juice of 1/2 lemon
pinch each salt and pepper

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat, then add the shallot.  Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until the shallot has softened.  Add the rabbit parts and brown for 5-7 minutes.

Add the wine, chicken broth, vinegar.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Simmer for at least two hours, longer if possible, checking every 30 minutes or so.  If the liquid is evaporating too quickly, go ahead and add an extra splash of wine throughout the process. 

Once the rabbit has simmered for at least two hours, remove from heat.  Serve as-is or let cool if you're using the meat for Pita Rabbit sandwiches.


Pita Rabbit

2 pita breads, warmed in the oven and cut in half
shredded rabbit or chicken (dark meat)
minced red onion
grated cucumber
chopped mint
seeded & chopped tomato
chopped kalamata olives
crumbled feta cheese
Greek dressing (recipe below)

Fill each pita bread half with your choice of the ingredients listed above. 



Greek Dressing

1 T. plain yogurt
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, pressed
1 T. chopped fresh mint
1 T. fresh oregano (or 1 t. dried)
1/4 t. ground sumac berries* (optional)
pinch salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 t. toasted sesame oil

Whisk the ingredients in a small bowl.  Use to dress pita sandwiches or salads.  Also delicious on steamed veggies, fresh chopped tomatoes, cold pasta or rice, etc.
 

* Sumac is a tart spice commonly used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking.  If you can't find it at your local market, you can order it from Penzey's.

Cold Weather Favorites

Yours truly, sporting sunglasses!

Ladies and gentlemen, summer in Boston is officially over.  Mother nature has been toying with us for several weeks now, temperatures dropping a few degrees here or there, but summer wasn't quite ready to give up the fight until this weekend.  Three events occurred that prove my point - the Red Sox ended their season, I spent Saturday with my best friends at Harpoon Brewery's annual Oktoberfest, and the temperature dropped low enough for my radiators to start churning out heat.  Because I am a food lover, I am not sad.  Cold weather ushers in a whole new assortment of delicious dishes, and when I woke up yesterday morning freezing cold and longing for an extra blanket, a light bulb appeared over my head.  That light bulb was shaped like a steamy bowl of soup.

Is there anything more cozy and comforting on a cold day than a pair of soft pajama pants, an oversized sweatshirt, and the smell of soup simmering on the stove?  If you come up with something, let me know - I'm at a loss.  Yesterday, I made a hearty pasta and bean soup (pasta fagioli), along with a pork tenderloin that I marinated in a garlicky-wine mixture and braised alongside kalamata olives.  The results were delicious, especially when washed down with a glass of Chianti, Tuscany's famous dry red.  Try these recipes for yourself when the temperature drops!


Pasta Fagioli (Italian pasta and bean soup)

Italian cooks traditionally add the rind of a wedge of parmesan or pecorino cheese to soups - it imparts a delicious, rich flavor without any heaviness.

2 oz. pancetta. sliced into small bits
1 small onion, minced
3 carrots, minced
3 celery ribs, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 bay leaves
1/4 t. cracked black pepper
1/4 t. crushed red chile flakes
4 cups chicken broth
1 lb. fresh tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 can cannelini or borlotti beans
rind from piece of parmesan/pecorino
1 cup dry ditalini
splash olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot, fry the pancetta bits over medium-high heat until they began to crisp up.  Next, add the onion, celery, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, and chile flakes, and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.  Do not let the onion and garlic burn.

Now, add the chicken broth, tomatoes, thyme, cannelini beans, and the parmesan/pecorino rind.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce to a simmer.  Cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. 

In the meantime, cook the ditalini in boiling water.  Be careful not to overcook it - in fact, it is better to drain it when the pasta is somewhat undercooked, since they will absorb more liquid once it is added to the soup.

After the pasta has cooked and the soup has simmered, add the cooked pasta to the soup pot.  Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to release any of the browned pancetta bits that haven't yet made their way into the broth.  Continue stirring for about 5 minutes, then add a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Stir again, test for seasonings, and add a little more salt and/or pepper if necessary.  Ladle into bowls and serve steaming hot.

 

Braised Pork Tenderloin with Kalamata Olives

2 T. olive oil, plus extra for browning
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
leaves from 1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 - 1/2 t. crushed black pepper
1 c. dry red or white wine, plus extra if necessary
1 2-3 lb. pork tenderloin
1 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped

Combine all the ingredients except the kalamata olives in a lidded container large enough to hold all the ingredients and allow them to move freely.  Allow the pork to marinate for at least 2 hours (up to 24), turning occasionally. 



Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan with a lid for about 1 minute over high heat.  Add a splash of olive oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.  Remove the pork from its marinade (reserving the marinade for the next step), shake off excess liquid, and add to the pan.  Brown the pork on all sides until no pink is showing and a brown crust begins to form. 

Next, add the reserved marinade and the kalamata olives to the pan, reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for approximately 35 minutes.  Turn the pork 2-3 times throughout the cooking process.  If you see that the liquid is evaporating too quickly, add a bit more wine. 

Remove the pork loin from the pan, set aside to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.  Then, slice pork into half-inch thick rounds, and spoon some of the olive-wine mixture from the pan over the pork slices.  Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.