Rabbit Osso Buco
Éric Gonzalez — The Cuisine of Greater Montreal. Total time: 1hr to 2hr. Cooking time: About 2 hours. Difficulty: Easy. Chef's Note: Chef Eric Gonzalez of Auberge Saint-Gabriel. Sommelier: Amorino Podere Castorani 2006, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy (red wine).
Ingredients
| 6 | rabbit legs, cut into 2 or 3 widthwise | |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | olive oil |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | flour |
| 1 | medium carrot, diced | |
| 2 | shallots, chopped | |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | tomato paste |
| 125 ml | dry white wine | |
| 796 ml | can of crushed Italian tomatoes | |
| 1 | garlic clove, halved and germ removed | |
| 1 | sprig fresh thyme | |
| 1 | zest of orange | |
| 250 ml | veal stock | |
| 4 | fresh sage leaves, chopped | |
| 30 g | halved pitted green olives | |
| — | salt and pepper to taste |
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a cocotte or Dutch oven.
- Flour the rabbit pieces and tap off the excess. Brown them on all sides in the hot oil. Set aside on a plate.
- Sauté the carrot and shallot lightly in the cocotte; add the tomato paste and mix with a wooden spoon until colored.
- Deglaze with the white wine; add the rabbit pieces, crushed tomatoes, garlic, thyme, orange zest, veal stock, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 90 minutes.
- Remove the rabbit pieces, thyme and orange zest.
- Reduce the sauce to a nice consistency; add the sage and olives just before serving.
- Serve over fresh pasta, polenta or Parmesan risotto, drizzling with extra-virgin olive oil just before serving.