COMMENT:
The fricassee is probably the most popular method of cooking rabbit
in South Louisiana. Slowly cooked in the black iron pot, this dish
is considered simple, yet the best tasting rabbit dish in Bayou
country.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 young rabbits
- 1 diced onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 carrot sliced
- 3/4 cup oil
- 1 cup flour
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper
- 2 tbsps diced garlic
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 2 cups sliced oyster mushrooms
- 1 quart reserved stock
- 1 tbsp chopped thyme
- 1 tsp chopped rosemary
- Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
METHOD:
Cut rabbit into eight serving size pieces. Place in a stockpot and
cover with water by 2 inches. Add 1 diced onion, 1 cup diced celery,
4 cloves garlic and 1 carrot sliced. Bring to a boil - reduce to
simmer and cook until rabbit is tender - 1 hour. De-bone and reserve
stock. In a one gallon black iron pot, heat oil over medium high
heat. Add flour, and stirring constantly, make a brown roux. Add
onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic and tomatoes. Sauté until
vegetables are wilted, approximately three to five minutes. Return
rabbit to pot and stir well into seasonings. Add mushrooms and stock.
Season to taste using salt and pepper. Bring the stock to a low
boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover pot and allow to braise for one
hour. Add additional stock, if necessary, should mixture become
too dry. Correct seasonings if necessary. This dish should be served
over yellow corn biscuits (see recipe).
Yellow Corn Biscuits
PREP TIME: 1 1/2 hours
MAKES: 14 2 1/2-inch biscuits
COMMENT:
These biscuits are an inspiration from Don Drake. We put Bar-B-Que
in bite-size versions and served them as hors d'oeuvre at our "Carolina
Christmas" dinner at the James Beard House.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup fresh raw yellow corn kernels
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- 8 tablespoons cold, diced unsalted butter
- 1 cup coarsely ground yellow corn meal
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon plus
- 1 teaspoon non-alum baking powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cup plus
- 2 tablespoons buttermilk
- extra flour for rolling out the biscuits
- 2 tablespoons
- unsalted butter, melted
METHOD:
Cut the raw corn kernels off of the corn cobs. Scrape the cobs over
a bowl to release all of the corn's "milk." Lightly chop
the kernels. In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, combine the corn, the
corn "milk" and the heavy cream. Cook over medium heat
for 4 to 5 minutes or until the cream is reduced to one third of
its original volume. It will be thick and creamy. Set aside and
let cool at room temperature. Process the corn mixture lightly or
mash it to break up the kernels. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Dice
the butter, put it on a plate and put it back into the refrigerator
to remain cold while you are assembling the other ingredients. Combine
the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Add
the diced butter and cut it into the flour with either a pastry
cutter or 2 forks until the butter is reduced to the size of the
cornmeal. This should be done quickly so that the butter doesn't
get too warm or melt. Beat the egg and the buttermilk together.
Mix the creamed corn with the egg and buttermilk..
Add this mixture into the flour mixture a little at a time until
the dough comes together. It may be a bit wet, but it can be handled
easily with a light dusting of flour. Place the dough on a floured
board and round it out with your hands. Pat the round out to a thickness
of an inch. Cut the biscuits with a 2 1/2 inch cutter. Place the
biscuits on a baking sheet and bake at the tope of the 400 degree
oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until they are golden brown and cooked
through. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and brush the tops
of the biscuits with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Serve at
once. |
