December's cold

Winter came in overnight, after weeks of mild weather. The long autumn was a gift, allowing us time to get the outdoor kitchen buttoned up for winter, time to move the outdoor furniture under wraps, stack the wood, and air the mothballs out of our woolens. Most years we never get a chance to get that all done before snow flies. But now that winter is really here, I am so glad.

It's time for braising, my favorite cooking method. I've been braising rabbit a lot lately, and I have a new favorite recipe from my friend Jill's grandmother, who lived in southern Australia. Here it is:

Orange Rabbit Fricassee

Serves 4

1 rabbit, cut in pieces
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 slices pastured bacon, cut in batons
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1/4 cup red wine
2 cups chicken, duck or turkey stock, preferably home-made
juice and grated zest of 2 oranges
1/4 cup red current jelly

to finish:
2 cups cooked rice
2 oranges, zested, peeled and segmented

Blot the rabbit and set aside. Mix the flour and salt and pepper, and roll each piece of meat in the seasoned flour. Set this aside on a plate. Set the oven to 325 degrees, and place the shelf in the center of the oven.

Heat a braising pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add half the olive oil. When it’s thinned and fragrant, add the bacon batons. Lower the heat and render the bacon fat. When most of the fat has rendered, after 5 minutes, add the onion and carrot and cook it down slowly, stirring as needed, until tender, another 5 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and vegetables from the pot and add the remaining olive oil. When it is thinned and fragrant, arrange the floured meat in one layer. Increase the heat back to medium, and brown the rabbit pieces on both sides, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan, turn off the heat, and deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping up the browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, using the heat left in the pan. Add the stock, then fresh orange juice and orange zest, and red currant jelly. Turn heat to low and cook until jelly melts. Return the bacon and vegetables to the pot, along with the meat.

Cover tightly, making an inner parchment cover, and bake for 2 hours.

Serve with rice, sprinkling on orange zest, arranging orange segments around the perimeter of the platter.