Recipe: Braised Rabbit with Tarragon, Grapes, and Porcini Polenta
Anna Mowry
Thomas Giudice's recipe for braised rabbit with grapes, tarragon, and porcini polenta, adapted by the James Beard Foundation
American diners have historically held a tepid attitude about eating rabbit, put off by the protein's high price or horrified by the thought of tucking into Thumper. But the Italians have been relishing rabbit for centuries, frying it crisp or stewing it slow with herbs. We think they have the right idea, especially right now: with its mild gaminess and slender build, rabbit is ideal for early fall cooking.
Thomas Giudice, chef of La Zingara in Bethel, Connecticut, has shared his recipe for a rabbit-anchored braise that feels utterly of the climatic moment. After cooking a whole rabbit in stock, wine, and mirepoix, Giudice briefly simmers the meat with punchy grapes and earthy tarragon, then serves it all with polenta, another ingredient we always find ourselves reaching for come fall.