Boudin Stuffed Rabbit Roulade
Ingredients
- Rabbits - 2-3
- Prepared Smoked Boudin - 6 oz
- Red Bell Pepper - 1, small diced
- Yellow Onion - 1, small diced
- Celery Stalks - 2, small diced
- Thyme - 3 sprigs
- Cooked Rice - 1/2 cup
- Garlic - 3 cloves, minced
- Scallions - ¼ cup, chopped
- Crystal Hot Sauce - 1 tablespoon
- Worcestershire - 1 teaspoon
- 1# Pork Caul Fat - (for wrapping the roulade)
- Braise
- Rabbit Forelegs - 4
- Yellow Onions - 2, medium diced
- Carrot - 1, medium diced
- Celery Stalk - 1, medium diced
- Bay Leaves - 2
- Thyme - 4-5 Sprigs
- Black Peppercorns
- Tomato Paste - 1 tablespoon
- Dry white wine - 1 cup
- Chicken Stock - 1 qt (alt. Game Stock), to cover
Instructions
Butchery
Place the rabbit bone side down on a clean cutting board. Forearms: First, pull the forearms forward to better expose their contours. Make cut behind the shoulder to remove, repeat on the remaining forearm. Hind leg: Just like most poultry and game, removal of the hind legs is achieved by cutting toward the hip joint and popping the leg out of its socket creating a visible path for your knife and easy removal. Saddle: Begin by cutting an incision on both sides of the vertebrae starting at the hind quarters working your way towards the neck of the rabbit. Using a paring knife, angle the blade against the ribs and gently fillet along the ribs away from the vertebrae as if you were filleting a fish. Once the saddle and the rib cage are no longer intact, simply cut straight down alongside the backbone to remove the remaining tenderloin from the hind sockets.
Braise
The forelegs of the rabbit are braised for the actual roulade stuffing. Begin by caramelizing the forelegs in a hot sautoir pan or rondeau. Once golden brown, remove and set aside. In the same pan, immediately following the removal of the legs, add onions, carrot and celery and cook until lightly golden. Add tomato paste and continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan to ensure all flavors are retrieved. Add the legs back to the pan, cover with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place into a 325 degree oven for 90 minutes. The braised rabbit should fall right off the bone when finished.
Strain liquid from the pan through a chinois into a small sauce pot. Wait 5 minutes and skim the surface of the braising liquid extracting all visible fat. Place on med-low flame and reduce until a sauce consistency; this is rabbit jus.
Stuffing
Pick the forelegs of all meat (being careful not to include any bones) and place in a bowl. Remove the boudin from its casing and add to the bowl. Sweat the onion, celery, and bell pepper in a sauté pan until soft. Then add the garlic, thyme, and parsley and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes. Add the trinity to the rabbit mixture along with the remaining ingredients. Season the stuffing with salt and pepper. If stuffing seems to dry add some of the braising liquid to moisten.
Rolling the Roulade
Begin by taking each saddle and laying them out flat skin side down. Season each saddle with salt. Spread the stuffing evenly; hugging the tenderloin (or meatier) side of the saddle. Then simply roll the saddle into a tight and even roulade. Lastly, take the caul fat out and lay if flat on a cutting board. Cut the caul fat appropriately so that each roulade may receive to full layers of fat. Place the roulade at the base of the cut caul fat and roll as if you were rolling cigar. This will aid in moisture retention.
