Rabbit Leg Confit in Éphémère Apple and Cedar Jelly
Ingredients
4 rabbit legs
Olive oil
1 tsp. chopped garlic
3 cloves garlic, halved and degermed
7 sprigs fresh thyme
3 bay leaves
1 pinch coarse salt
1 tbsp. marinating spices
2 apples
1 tbsp. butter
2 French shallots, minced
2 cups (16 fl. oz.) cedar jelly
3 cups (24 fl. oz.) Éphémère Apple
1 tbsp. Patrelle aroma (optional)
Salt or beef extract
Brown roux
Preparing the rabbit confit
- Place the rabbit legs in a dish.
- Season with marinating spices, bay leaves, chopped garlic, and coarse salt for 24 hours, then refrigerate.
- Remove salt and spices and place the rabbit legs in an ovenproof dish.
- Cover with olive oil.
- Add garlic halves and 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Cook in the oven for about 2 hours at 300°C (rabbit is cooked when the flesh is tender and detaches easily from the bone).
- Remove rabbit from the oil and place on paper towel to absorb excess fat.
Preparing the Éphémère Apple sauce with cedar jelly
- Peel 2 apples and chop into pieces.
- Fry apples with a pat of butter, French shallots, and 4 sprigs of fresh thyme.
- Once apples are golden brown, add cedar jelly.
- Simmer for several minutes.
- Add 3 cups of Éphémère Apple beer.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Strain the sauce and let simmer again.
- Thicken the sauce with brown roux until desired consistency is achieved.
- Season with salt or beef extract.
- Optional: Add a few drops of Patrelle aroma (juice of caramelized onions) for darker color.
Pour sauce over the rabbit confit and serve with a green salad
Once your guest are seated, you're ready to pull the rabbit of the hat!
Source : Thomas Plante, Executive Chef at Restaurant 1640 (Quebec City)
