Baked Rabbit

Lamb is a dish commonly prepared on Easter, partly because lamb is really good and partly because of the symbolization of Jesus as the Lamb of God. I've thought for several years that it would be fun to have rabbit on Easter, partly because rabbit is really good and partly because of the fun connection with the Easter bunny. I checked with Gerrard's Market before last weekend and they were selling rabbit, 

so I bought a 2.85 pound rabbit. 

I cut the rabbit into four pieces, first making a cut the entire length, 

then a sideways cut in the middle. 

I decided to dredge the rabbit in seasoned flour, which was one cup of flour, a tablespoon of salt, a 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. 

I put butter in a frying pan and sauteed the rabbit in the butter until it was seared on both sides. 

Then I put the rabbit in a baking dish. 

I added a cup of chopped onion and 2 diced carrots, as well as giblets from the rabbit and from a capon, to the remaining butter in the pan and sauteed it for 3 minutes, 

then I added it on top of the rabbit in the baking dish. I brought about 2 cups of chicken broth to a near boil in the microwave and added it to the baking dish. 

I put the baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees and baked it for an hour. Judy was out of town and I was having Easter lunch with Rachael and Nate, so I took the baking dish to Rachael's where she kept it on low for almost 2 hours while we waited for the rest of dinner. It ended up baking long, but it was still good. It would have been even better with less time warming in the oven.  Rabbit is a mild meat and the breading and vegetables went very well with it. I would make this dish again. I prefer rabbit over chicken and beef and it is very easy to make and kind of fun and unusual. The other meat on the plate in the background is some capon, the subject of a later post. 

Monday for lunch, I came home and warmed up some left over rabbit and it was still very good.