Game that lumbers,roots and hops

What do bears, boars and wild rabbits have in common? Not all that much (except that they live in the wild), but for the sake of convenience we present them here as one group.

 

Rabbit

Rabbits come from the same family as hares but are smaller and mostly nocturnal. Wild rabbits grow up to 45 centimeters long and weigh a couple of kilos.

HOW TO COOK WILD RABBIT

Slow-cook a whole rabbit, French-style: Cut up your rabbit – it isn’t very different from butchering a chicken. Brown it and cook with fried onion, garlic, bacon, wine, thyme and chicken stock for an hour or two. Then remove the rabbit and turn the juices into a mustard sauce by adding cream – and mustard. Return the rabbit to the pan and enjoy.

Or make a Spanish paella, replacing the chicken with small pieces of rabbit – apparently this was the original recipe.

You’ll find more ideas for cooking small game under cooking game.

 

CINI TAL-MIJA Butcher Gozo

Rabbit Legs

Rabbit legs are the most exercised part of a rabbit and, as a result, the meat can be tough if cooked incorrectly. To ensure a moist, tender result on these lean cuts of meat, rabbit legs are often braised slowly in liquid.

HOW TO COOK RABBIT LEGS

Put the garlic halves, mushrooms, celery, onion quarters and time in a saucepan and cover with the chicken stock and white wine
Place the pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil
Reduce to a gentle simmer and add the legs. Gently braise for around 2 hours, until the meat is tender and falling away from the bone
Leave to cool in the liquid before flaking the meat from the bones – this can then be used for pies, terrines, rillettes and salads

 

Rabbit Shoulders

Rabbits Sholulders, the meat coming from the rabbit's shoulders.

HOW TO COOK RABBIT SHOULDERS

in a pan melt the butter and add the rabbit pieces and the bouquet garni; brown well on all sides; salt to taste. Meanwhile soak the mushrooms in warm water for 20 minutes.

Flour the meat, add the mushrooms, squeezed and coarsely chopped; add the wine. Cover and cook over low heat for 1½ hours; check during the cooking and add broth if necessary.

Add the chilli pepper to the cooking juices and let the flavours mingle; then remove it and the bouquet garni.

Strain the sauce, add the chopped capers and anchovies; stir and pour the hot sauce over the rabbit pieces. Serve immediately.

Rabbit Liver

Rabbit Liver, a quite delicate cuisine .

HOW TO COOK RABBIT LIVER

Soak your livers in milk for 2-3 hours prior to cooking. Rinse, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Slice livers into bite-sized pieces (I cut each liver into 4) Heat up a small saute pan on medium-high heat and melt butter.