Twas the night before Christmas…and my daughter is coming for a visit.  What to make that is gluten free, low in salt, low in sugar and delicious?  I am about to be initiated into the rabbit ragu hall of fame.  Yes indeed, I am making a simple ragu of rabbit…for the first time, suggested by my daughter, who is an adventurous soul!  I found fresh Vermont rabbit at a famous old Cambridge purveyor, Savenor’s and waited patiently while the skilled butcher boned a whole rabbit.  While browsing the many interesting goods in the well stocked food shop and butcher, another young patron of the shop begged me for my rabbit’s liver, evidently a tasty delicacy, much to my ignorance.  Since he was no rabbit novice, I questioned him on cooking techniques, as the various rabbit ragu recipes I read braising the dish for anywhere from 40 minutes up to 2 hours, which seemed to be quite a wide discrepancy.  He assured me that the Epicurious recipe recommended to me by my daughter was indeed correct with a 40 minute simmer time, unless I wanted a shredded rabbit ragu, in which case 2 hours was called for.

So I have planned a Christmas Eve dinner to begin with a spicy shrimp cocktail accompanied with a refreshing mimosa cocktail, featuring our favorite US sparkling wine, highly rated by Wine Spectator, Gruet Brut from New Mexico.  Lindsay will make some hot quinoa to serve with the ragu, along with roasted beets and steamed asparagus…and the remaining Pinot Noir.  We will finish with some fresh ripe strawberries and dark chocolate ice cream drops, specially handmade by Priscilla’s Candy Shop in Concord, MA….our family’s favorite chocolate shop.

Sounds delicious, right?  And gluten free, with minimal salt and sugar!

May all your Christmas wishes come true…

Here I am starting from Elena Faita-Venditelli’s Rabbit Ragu recipe as published in Gourmet magazine in March 2006.  Be warned that I have reduced the fat from 1/4 cup of olive oil plus 2 Tbls butter down to only 1 Tbls olive oil…and only used half the salt.

Rabbit Ragu

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbls olive oil
• 1/4 lb diced pancetta
• 2 sprigs fresh sage
• 2 springs fresh rosemary
• 1 boned rabbit, cut into 1″ cubes
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 cup Pinot Noir wine
• 1  14 oz can Italian plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

In a large 12 inch heavy skillet, heat olive oil and add diced pancetta over medium heat.  Render fat until pancetta is crisp, about 2 minutes.

Add sprigs of sage and rosemary and stir for 30 seconds.

Add rabbit pieces and cook until rabbit is no longer pink on the outside, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes.

Add chopped veggies and cook 5 more minutes, until veggies are softened.

Add wine and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup, about 15-20 minutes.

Add tomatoes and season to taste.  Simmer 10 minutes more.

At this point, you can cool the ragu down and cover and refrigerate it overnight.  When ready to serve, heat until bubbling and serve over hot creamy polenta, or quinoa.