I still have that cartoon depicting a rabbit with an amputated leg that you sent me after your meal. It hangs in our bar and generates a lot of confused looks from our guests. With regards to finding rabbits locally many supermarkets are carrying them, usually supplied by a company called D’Artagnan. You can ask the butcher to order them whole or just the legs or loins. With rabbit I like to roast the loin and braise the legs so unless you are willing to do a little surgery yourself you might get the cuts that you prefer. Rabbit is very lean, mildly flavored and a good introduction to the “game” meat category, although rabbits, like almost all “game” meats and poultry that you buy are actually farmed raised. Canelli beans would be a great accompaniment to braised rabbit legs so you might try the following recipe:

Cinnamon Braised Rabbit with Canelli Beans and Steamed Kale

Serves Four

4 rabbit hind legs
flour for dredging
coarse salt and fresh pepper to taste
oil for sauteeing
1 cup canelli beans soaked
1/2 cup peeled, seeded and diced fresh or canned tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 stalk fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. dry
2 cinnamon sticks
1 med. onion diced
2 med. carrots peeled and diced
1 small celery root or 3 stalks celery peeled and diced
8 cremini or button mushrooms quartered
4 cloves garlic minced
1 large bunch kale stemmed, washed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1-2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or water
In a braising pan just large enough to hold all of the ingredients heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery root, mushrooms, onions and half of the garlic. Season with salt and pepper and saute about three minutes until they begin to “sweat”. Remove from pan. Add another tbs. of the oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Season the rabbit legs with salt and pepper, Lightly dredge in flour, place in the pan and gently brown on all sides. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, add the beans, tomato, rosemary, bay leaf and cinnamon sticks. Add enough water or stock to almost cover, bring to a simmer and braise about a half hour. Add the sauteed vegetables and braise another half hour or so until the meat is tender and the beans and vegetables are cooked. Skim any impurities as they rise and add more stock or water if necessary. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, remove the cinnamon sticks, rosemary and bay leaf and keep warm.

Heat 1 tbs. oil over medium heat. Add the rest of the garlic and cook one minute. Add the kale, season with salt and pepper, add a little stock or water, cover and steam gently until tender, about 20 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure that all of the liquid hasn’t evaporated. Keep warm. Enjoy!

To serve place a mound of the kale in each of four bowls. Place a rabbit leg on top of each and ladle the vegetable mixture on top and around the rabbit.