In this recipe we are braising rabbit, over onions and celery root, in a sauce of Belgian ale and whole grain mustard. It’s a carbonnade of sorts, but with rabbit, and is perfect alongside crusty bread to sop up the sauce or over a batch of egg noodles. If you are unfamiliar with cooking rabbit, you can often find whole frozen rabbits and specialty markets. If you can, call ahead and have the butcher defrost and part out the rabbit. The dish works best with a Belgian ale. If not available, try Newcastle brown ale or Anchor Steam ale, or O-Doule amber ale if you need to avoid alcohol. Do not attempt this recipe with a hoppy beer. Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven on medium heat (large enough to fit rabbit pieces in a single layer). Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the rabbit pieces in a single layer to the pot. Brown on one side without stirring for 5 to 6 minutes. Then turn the pieces over and brown on the other side. Remove to a plate. Italian Braised Rabbit on Hunter Angler Gardener Cook Rabbit Confit from Leite’s Culinaria Rabbit Stifado on Kalofagas Coniglio alla Sanremasca (Ligurian Rabbit, Sanremo Style) from Samurai Viking Cuisine
