Equipment
Ingredients
Rabbit & Stuffing
- 1 rabbit saddle, deboned, belly flaps intact
- 150 g shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 garlic, minced
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 g fresh thyme, leaves picked and minced
Sesame Glaze
- 45 ml soy sauce
- 40 ml honey
- 30 ml mirin
- 15 ml toasted sesame oil
- 10 g toasted sesame seeds
Garnish & Sides
- 300 g baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
- 400 g russet potatoes, peeled
- 250 ml chicken stock, warm
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 30 ml vegetable oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 599 kcal
- Protein
- 39 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 1020 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 166 mg
- Potassium
- 1390 mg
- Calcium
- 155 mg
- Iron
- 7.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 106 mg
- Phosphorus
- 512 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 305 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 42 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 38 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.21 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 13.4 mg
- Folate
- 77 mcg
- Water
- 379 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a chef's knife, finely chop the shiitake mushrooms, shallot, and garlic to prepare for the duxelles.
Melt 30g of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chopped mushrooms, shallots, and garlic until all moisture evaporates and the mixture is deeply browned. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper, then let cool completely.
Lay the deboned rabbit saddle flat on a cutting board and season the inside with salt. Spread the cooled mushroom duxelles evenly over the meat. Roll the saddle tightly into a cylinder and secure it with butcher's twine tied at 2 centimeter intervals.
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F.
Cut the russet potatoes into 4 equal cylinders. Heat a splash of vegetable oil in an ovenproof skillet and sear one flat end of each potato until deeply golden. Flip the potatoes, add 50g of butter and the warm chicken stock, and braise in the oven until tender.
In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, honey, mirin, and toasted sesame oil. Simmer over medium-low heat until the glaze reduces by half and thickens to a syrupy consistency. Stir in the toasted sesame seeds.
Heat the remaining vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully sear the tied rabbit saddle on all sides until well browned.
Brush the seared rabbit generously with the sesame glaze. Transfer to the preheated oven and roast, brushing with more glaze every 5 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 65°C/150°F.
While the rabbit rests, sear the halved baby bok choy flat side down in a skillet until caramelized. Add a splash of water, cover, and steam until the greens are vibrant and the stems are tender.
Remove the twine from the rested rabbit saddle and slice it into thick medallions. Serve alongside the fondant potatoes and seared bok choy, drizzling any remaining sesame glaze over the meat.
Chef's Notes
- Deboning a rabbit saddle requires precision. Keep the belly flaps completely intact as they are essential for encasing the mushroom stuffing.
- Ensure the mushroom duxelles is completely dry before stuffing. Excess moisture will steam the rabbit from the inside and prevent a tight, uniform roll.
- Resting the meat is critical. Lean proteins like rabbit easily lose their juices if sliced immediately, resulting in a dry mouthfeel.
- Always toast your sesame seeds to awaken their essential oils before adding them to the glaze, which dramatically improves the aroma of the final dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store components in separate airtight containers.
Reheating: Reheat the rabbit gently in a 150C oven, covered with foil to prevent drying out. Pan-fry potatoes to restore crispness.
Troubleshooting
Rabbit meat is dry and tough.
Cause: Overcooking lean rabbit meat past its optimal internal temperature.
Fix: Slice the rabbit very thinly and serve with extra glaze or a pan sauce to restore moisture.
Prevention: Use a meat thermometer and pull the meat at 65°C/150°F as carry-over cooking will finish the process.
Sesame glaze burns during roasting.
Cause: The high sugar content from the honey scorched in a hot oven.
Fix: Carefully trim the burnt spots off the exterior and apply fresh, unbaked glaze before slicing.
Prevention: Apply the majority of the glaze only in the final 5 to 7 minutes of roasting.
Rabbit saddle unravels when sliced.
Cause: The duxelles was too wet, steaming the inside of the roll, or the twine was not tied tightly enough.
Fix: Slice very carefully with a sharp knife and reshape on the plate using the glaze to hold it together.
Prevention: Ensure all moisture is cooked out of the mushrooms and tie the saddle firmly.
Cultural Context
Rabbit has long been a staple in European country cooking, prized for its lean, delicate meat. This dish merges traditional French culinary techniques, such as the mushroom duxelles and fondant potatoes, with sweet and savory East Asian glazing methods. The result is a fusion centerpiece that highlights the incredible versatility of rabbit in modern gastronomy.
