Rabbit is a great change of pace from the everyday and luckily is becoming more widely available. Have your butcher cut up the rabbit for you; it can be tricky to do at home. The flavor is mild and the meat tender; you’ll swear it tastes like chicken. The hot sauce and blue cheese do not overwhelm; they actually bring out the flavor of the rabbit. The blue cheese sauce also makes a great salad dressing, thinned with a tablespoon of water.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 yellow onion, halved

　　1 garlic clove, smashed

　　1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　2 bay leaves

　　1 fresh thyme sprig

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

　　Two 3-pound rabbits, each cut into 8 pieces, rinsed

　　1 quart buttermilk

　　1 tablespoon Habañero Hot Sauce (page 244) or store-bought hot sauce, such as Tabasco, plus more for serving

　　3 cups all-purpose flour

　　1 tablespoon garlic powder

　　2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika

　　Canola oil, for deep-frying

　　Blue Cheese Sauce (recipe follows)

　　

Blue Cheese Sauce

1 cup sour cream

　　1 cup crumbled Danish blue cheese

　　2 tablespoons buttermilk

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　(makes 1 1/2 cups)

　　

Step 1

Fill a large pot with water and add the onion, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, thyme, 2 tablespoons salt, and the peppercorns. Bring to a rapid boil and cook for 5 minutes to infuse the water with the aromatics. Add the rabbit and bring back up to a boil; this should take roughly 5 minutes. Strain the rabbit pieces, transfer to a baking dish, and set aside to cool to room temperature.

　　

Step 2

Pour the buttermilk over the rabbit, turning the pieces so they are well coated. Add the hot sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. If you have the time, marinate the rabbit for up to 2 days—the buttermilk tenderizes the meat.

　　

Step 3

Spread the flour on a large shallow platter. Add the garlic powder and paprika; season with lots of salt and pepper. Mix the seasoned flour with your fingers until all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Remove the rabbit pieces from the buttermilk, discarding the buttermilk. Roll the pieces in the flour, a few at a time, until well coated, tapping off the excess. Let the rabbit sit in the flour and dry out while you heat the oil; this will help the crust stay on better. The buttermilk will keep absorbing the seasoned flour, which then fries up to form a crunchy crust.

　　

Step 4

Heat 3 inches of oil to 375°F in a countertop electric fryer or deep pot. (I like to start with very hot oil because as soon as the rabbit is added, the temperature drops significantly.) If you don’t have a deep-fry thermometer, a good way to test if the oil is hot enough is to stick the end of a wooden spoon or chopstick in it. If bubbles circle around the end, then you’re good to go.

　　

Step 5

Working in batches, carefully add 3 or 4 pieces of rabbit at a time. Fry until the rabbit is golden and crisp with even color, turning halfway through cooking, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towels and repeat with the remaining rabbit pieces.

　　

Step 6

To serve, arrange the fried rabbit on a large platter. Serve with hot sauce and the blue cheese sauce on the side for dipping.

　　

Blue Cheese Sauce

Step 7

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, cheese, and buttermilk; season with salt and pepper. Mash the ingredients with a fork; the sauce should remain somewhat lumpy.

　　Michael's Genuine Food