Lobster and Rabbit

To prepare the lobster and rabbit: Preheat the oven to 325 F. Heat the half of the olive oil in a medium oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat and add the rabbit fillets. Brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Add more oil to the pan if necessary. Add the rabbit ribs and brown for 1 minute per side. Put the fillets back in the pan with the ribs and place the pan in the oven. Roast for 4 to 5 minutes, until just done through. Set aside.

Bring the fish stock to a boil and add the lobster tails. Cook for about 8 minutes; remove and drain, reserving the stock. Let cool slightly. Remove the shells. Cut the tails into 1/2-inch-thick medallions. Put the medallions back into the stock and place over low heat to keep warm.

To prepare the fennel: Put the butter and olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and warm until the butter melts. Swirl the butter and olive oil together, then add the fennel and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the white wine, fish stock, and bay leaf. Mix in the curry powder and cream, then cook over medium heat until the fennel begins to lose its shape and nearly all the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.

To make the sauce: Cook the onion in the olive oil over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add the curry powder, pepper, bay leaf, and fish bones or lobster shells and cook until the onions are translucent and the pan is nearly dry. Add the wine and stir up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until nearly dry again. Add the fish stock, rabbit trimmings and lobster trimmings and reduce again until almost dry. Add the cream and cook until the mixture is slightly thickened. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve lined with cheesecloth, pressing down on the solids to extract all the juice. Set aside; keep warm.

To prepare the garnishes: Combine the lemon juice and water and set aside. Cut the carrots into very thin long strips, then cut each strip into triangles. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Set a bowl of ice water on a work surface, and lay out paper towels. Put the carrot triangles into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds; remove and plunge into the ice water. Peel and core an apple, then cut into thin slices. Cut each slice into a triangle. Put the triangles into the lemon water. Repeat with the remaining apples and the pears. Set the garnishes aside.

To serve: Carve the rabbit fillets into 1/4-inch-thick medallions. Cut the ribs into separate chops. Place a 4-inch ring mold in the center of a warmed serving plate. Fill the bottom with the fennel. Place lobster slices in an overlapping circle on the fennel. Put another layer of fennel on top, then overlap slices of rabbit around the top of the mold. Gently lift the mold; repeat for each plate. Put three small rabbit ribs in the center of each. Spoon sauce over the lobster-rabbit cakes. Position three groups of vegetable triangles on the plate around each cake. Dust the remaining rabbit ribs with curry powder and place them around the plates between the vegetable chip mounds. Spoon sauce around the plates.