Rabbit. It's What's for Dinner.

Yes, I know. Some of you will read the title line and be complete squweed out. Others, however, will be intrigued (I hope), and will be tempted to try this surprisingly easy, Julia Child-inspired recipe. I call it, "Rabbit ala Cris".

Rabbit ala Cris

You will need: one rabbit, cut into 5-6 pieces (depends on size of the rabbit); 1/3 cup flour; salt & pepper; smoked or Hungarian paprika; olive oil; 2 Tbsp. butter; ground tumeric; bay leaves; dried minced garlic and onion; cayenne pepper; thyme leaves; 1 1/2 cups wine of your choice.

Mix flour, 1/2 tsp. each salt, pepper, and paprika. Toss in rabbit pieces, shake to coat. Heat olive oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a cast iron frying pan. When hot, brown the floured rabbit pieces on both sides over medium-low heat. While you're doing this, put wine in a small sauce pan (I used a nice, $10 merlot. Just remember, always pick a wine to cook with that you would also drink). Add 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, salt, ground turmeric, dried onion & garlic, and thyme leaves. Bring wine to a boil, whisk well to combine all spices. Place the browned rabbit into a crockpot, pour wine sauce over. Turn your crockpot on low and cook for 6-8 hours. Serve on a bed of mashed sweet or regular potatoes, rissoto, or rice. You can reduce the wine sauce and make into a slightly gravied sauce to pour over your rabbit. If you prefer, this can also be made in a dutch oven in a low oven (300 degrees) over the course of an afternoon. You MUST cook rabbit low and slow; it really shines after a good long braising.

You'll be amazed at how far this will go. A rabbit, which weighs about 2-3 pounds dressed out, is a very dense, delicious meat. You eat far less of it, and feel very content afterward (trust me--I ate a 1/3 of this roast, and I feel like I ate a giant turkey dinner!) How does rabbit taste? Well, it tastes like dark meat from a home-grown, happy turkey. (I say this because factory turkeys taste like sawdust and sorrow.) And with this recipe, the finished roast is tender and moist and literally falls onto your fork in joy. Yum-o.