Fettuccini with Rabbit and Currant-Port Glaze

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter, plus 1 tablespoon
• Reserved rabbit meat, from stock, recipe follows
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon diced shallot
• 1/2 cup Port
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups Rabbit Demi-glace, recipe follows
• 1/2 pound cooked fettuccini
• Truffle oil

Directions

Heat 1-tablespoon butter in a skillet until very hot, but not brown. Add diced rabbit meat and season lightly with salt and pepper. Saute until lightly golden. Add shallots. Deglaze pan with port wine and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add currants and rabbit demi-glace. Cook slowly until rabbit is cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Melt remaining butter in a saute pan. Add fettuccini and a dash of truffle oil and toss to heat through. Divide onto 4 plates. Spoon equal amounts of rabbit and sauce over each portion of pasta. Drizzle lightly with more truffle oil.

Rabbit Demi Glace:

• 1 (3 pound) rabbit
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 garlic head, halved
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups veal stock
• 3 cups chicken stock

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bone out rabbit and cut meat into 1-inch cubes. Reserve meat and bones.

Roast rabbit bones until nicely browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and break up into pieces. Place bones in an 8-quart or larger stockpot. Add vegetables, garlic, seasonings, and stock. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 45 minutes. Drain stock. Let stand and skim off any fat or residue on top. Return to stove and reduce until a demi-glace consistency, 1 to 1 1/2 cups.