Drunken Rabbit with Red Quinoa Risotto and Hominy Spinach Puree

Wow ! That's a mouthful ! And that kind of sounds like a stuffy, fancy dinner, but it was really more like comfort food, and so delicious after a busy day.

We had to do some work with the bee hive, so I wanted something I could throw in the crock pot in the morning, and come back and finish up later. This rabbit dish fits the bill. The rest I just created out of ingredients on hand, and wanting to make a colorful plate. Honestly, the meat almost became unnecessary, the side dishes were really the star of the meal for this Sunday dinner.

Drunken Rabbit with Red Quinoa Risotto and Hominy Spinach Puree
For the rabbit:

1 medium size rabbit, cleaned
1 large onion, cut in quarters
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
5-6 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper
1 bottle red wine (I used a sweet red wine)

Place the onions and garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker. Generously salt and pepper the rabbit and place on top of the garlic and onions. Place thyme sprigs on top of rabbit, and pour the bottle of wine over the top of it all. Add water to cover the rabbit, if necessary. Cook on low setting 5-6 hours until rabbit falls of the bone. Remove the rabbit from the cooker, remove meat from the bones, being careful for the very small bones. Put the rabbit meat in a small pan with some of the liquid and place on stove to simmer while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Hominy Spinach Puree
4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large can white hominy, drained except for 1/2 cup of liquid
2 cups fresh spinach, stems removed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Saute garlic in the butter then add the hominy and liquid. Heat until bubbling, then add the spinach. Stir until spinach is cooked down, then puree with an immersion blender. Stir in salt and pepper.

Quinoa Risotto
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 scallions, chopped
1 cup red quinoa
1/2 cup braising liquid from rabbit
4 cups beef or pork stock
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Start the stock simmering in a small sauce pan. Saute garlic and onions in butter. Add quinoa, and stir until butter is complete absorbed. Add braising liquid, and reduce until liquid is gone. Add stock 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly, and reducing until completely absorbed with each addition. Quinoa is cooked when is starts to break apart into little curls. After all the stock is absorbed, stir in cheese.