by Caitlin Collins
ABUNDANT ACRES RABBIT
Five Preparations, Black Garlic, Braised Radish
The rabbit currently on the menu is listed as having five preparations. They are as follows:
1. A buttermilk-fried liver
2. Grilled kidneys
3. Confit leg
4. Saddle-wrapped sausage
5. Roasted rabbit rack
The plate also includes a capunet of rabbit rillette and braised rabbit.
Here's how we do it:
Daytime Sous Chef Scott Klukas receives rabbits whole from Abundant Acres Farm in Toledo, Washington. It is his job to harvest the organs and separate the parts for their different preparations.
He begins by removing the kidneys, which are then marinated in milk, garlic and thyme before being grilled. The liver follows suit and is later buttermilk-fried. The fore quarters are separated and saved to be braised and then cooked confit in duck fat. The hind quarters are reserved for ragu and sausage.
The cute little rabbit racks are cut from the rib section, and after they are marinated in salt, sugar, black pepper, and green garlic, they will be roasted during service.
While Scott breaks down the rabbits, Tim takes cabbage that has been blanched until soft and cuts rectangles from them.
A filling of sauteed onion and cabbage, mustard seed, caraway seed, white wine, and braised rabbit is placed in the center of each. Finally, it is topped with a rabbit rilette, or rabbit slow-cooked with shallots and herbs until it falls apart.
Each little capunet, or the name for cabbage-wrapped-meat, is wrapped and ready for service, where it will be warmed in the oven.
Scott then takes the rabbit hind quarters with some guanciale, green garlic, and white wine, and runs it through a sausage grinder.
Once it is ground up together, it is lightly seasoned and beat together with wooden spoon to emulsify.
The saddle he harvested is hit with a knife to tenderize it, and then the freshly-made sausage is placed in the saddle and the belly is wrapped around it. The sausage is then wrapped in caul fat, and the whole thing is tied off and poached.
This is the finished plate that Nathan has just prepared during service. The discs in the center are the saddle-wrapped-sausage; directly behind is Tim's capunet; behind that peeks the rabbit rack. Also in front of the capunet is the fore quarter cooked confit; in front to the right is the grilled kidney; in front and center is the buttermilk-fried liver. The plate is also garnished with mustard seed, grilled radish, and green garlic.
Rabbit is one more indicator that Spring is upon us. We're excited to have it on the menu-- come in and try it!
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