Confit my Rabbit!!!!!
Modern age "globe trotteress" is what I refer to my sisters best friend, Her name is Liyancy and I could bet a 1000 shillings that she would have seen half of the civilised earth, and thus as I had subscribed to her FB updates, I pounced on to comment when she posted vaguely about the ongoing "Horse Meat" Scandal at the UK, to my surprise it was serious than actually what I thought it was after she threw some light on the whole issue,
And as it mellowed down, She cheekily told about her love for rabbit meat, which took me back in memory of my first instance with this hopping delicacy.
It was somewhere in the mid of 2002 I suppose, a Senior Chef of Austrian origin was onboard to exclusively prepare a set of meals to the traveling celebrities, which included top shots of the showbizz industry, as it turned out it was the Backstreet boy's, and that's the only people I remember even thou there were quite a few other notable ones which my phillapino friends raved about, There was Beluga caviar and that was the first instance I saw how caviar would be served.
It was a day before the Captains party, was going to be lavish dinner with meats of all kinds,and the heads up of 24 hours was justified,He quickly asked me muster down at the Butchery for further briefing, As I did he instructed me to open a box which was around about 5lbs, It read rabbit, I was startled and was all the excited to taste the same in the coming hour, to my disappointment the instruction followed, the Chef told me that he is gonna cook it to confit, and that process would take atleast 24 hours!!!!
He instructed me to take down the below notes, as I had a bit off Shorthand experience which was quite fresh from my vacation, I took it down as he instructed,
Find a large stockpot or saucepan that will hold the rabbit and have enough depth to cover with fat, which can also go in the oven - cast-iron is best. If you have to cut the rabbit into bits so be it, you will be taking the meat off the bone once it is cooked anyway. Place the rabbit into a non-reactive bowl and cover with the salt, turning to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 135C. Remove the rabbit from the refrigerator and rinse it under cold water. Pat dry with kitchen paper and place in the pot with all of the remaining ingredients, except the fat.
In a separate saucepan, melt the fat until it is pouring consistency, then pour it over the rabbit in the pot.
Put the rabbit over low heat and bring almost to the boil - try not to boil it as it will be tough if it cooks too quickly. Transfer the pot to the oven and cook it for 5 hours, checking it each hour after the first 3 hours have passed - when cooked the meat should fall easily from the bone.Once the rabbit is cooked then remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Take the rabbit and strip the meat from the bones, discarding the bones and placing the flesh into a non-reactive bowl. Strain the fat and vegetables, and remove and discard the bay leaves. You can keep the fat for future confit and also for roasting meat and vegetables.
As all was adhered and followed with help of my senior chefs, it pans out to be the softest meat, and every one said its just because the way it was cooked, it was fluffy like a fur, later he instructed us to make phyllo cups which was filled with meat,
Drizzled with raspberry coullis and off it went to be munched by our distinguished guest, I did sneak a few down the ally to my cabin(even thou it wasn't allowed) its sure worth the risk.
And as it mellowed down, She cheekily told about her love for rabbit meat, which took me back in memory of my first instance with this hopping delicacy.
It was somewhere in the mid of 2002 I suppose, a Senior Chef of Austrian origin was onboard to exclusively prepare a set of meals to the traveling celebrities, which included top shots of the showbizz industry, as it turned out it was the Backstreet boy's, and that's the only people I remember even thou there were quite a few other notable ones which my phillapino friends raved about, There was Beluga caviar and that was the first instance I saw how caviar would be served.
It was a day before the Captains party, was going to be lavish dinner with meats of all kinds,and the heads up of 24 hours was justified,He quickly asked me muster down at the Butchery for further briefing, As I did he instructed me to open a box which was around about 5lbs, It read rabbit, I was startled and was all the excited to taste the same in the coming hour, to my disappointment the instruction followed, the Chef told me that he is gonna cook it to confit, and that process would take atleast 24 hours!!!!
He instructed me to take down the below notes, as I had a bit off Shorthand experience which was quite fresh from my vacation, I took it down as he instructed,
Find a large stockpot or saucepan that will hold the rabbit and have enough depth to cover with fat, which can also go in the oven - cast-iron is best. If you have to cut the rabbit into bits so be it, you will be taking the meat off the bone once it is cooked anyway. Place the rabbit into a non-reactive bowl and cover with the salt, turning to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.
Preheat the oven to 135C. Remove the rabbit from the refrigerator and rinse it under cold water. Pat dry with kitchen paper and place in the pot with all of the remaining ingredients, except the fat.
In a separate saucepan, melt the fat until it is pouring consistency, then pour it over the rabbit in the pot.
Put the rabbit over low heat and bring almost to the boil - try not to boil it as it will be tough if it cooks too quickly. Transfer the pot to the oven and cook it for 5 hours, checking it each hour after the first 3 hours have passed - when cooked the meat should fall easily from the bone.Once the rabbit is cooked then remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Take the rabbit and strip the meat from the bones, discarding the bones and placing the flesh into a non-reactive bowl. Strain the fat and vegetables, and remove and discard the bay leaves. You can keep the fat for future confit and also for roasting meat and vegetables.
As all was adhered and followed with help of my senior chefs, it pans out to be the softest meat, and every one said its just because the way it was cooked, it was fluffy like a fur, later he instructed us to make phyllo cups which was filled with meat,
Drizzled with raspberry coullis and off it went to be munched by our distinguished guest, I did sneak a few down the ally to my cabin(even thou it wasn't allowed) its sure worth the risk.
Which cruise ship you used tom work Johnson
ReplyDeleteAnd bytheway welsh rarebit is toasted bread with cheddar cheese on top with sauce.
Reason why its called rarebit. As rabbit is poor englishmen meat, cheese is meat for poor welshman. So its called welsh rabbit and it become welsh rarebit.