Rosemary roasted rabbit

Ingredients

2 rabbits (1 -2 lbs.); each cut into eight pieces, rinsed, pat dry

16 medium red potatoes; quartered 24 cloves garlic; peeled, crushed 6 tbsp. olive oil

4 oz. slab of bacon

8 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves

2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. sea salt, more to taste

8 sprigs rosemary

1/2 cup white wine

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the potatoes and garlic cloves on sheet pan. Toss with 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, until potatoes are browned and soft, turning as needed.

While the potatoes and garlic are roasting, heat skillet over medium heat.

Add 2 tbsp. oil and bacon. Render bacon. Reserving oil, remove with slotted spoon into small mixing bowl with paper towel to drain. Set aside.

In same skillet, working in batches, sauté the rabbit over medium heat.

Cook 3-4 minutes each side, to golden brown. Remove rabbit and place aside on half sheet pan with drying rack to hold. Reserve 2 tbsp. of pan drippings.

When potatoes are done, remove from oven and reduce heat to 350 degrees F.

Combine rabbit, rosemary, pepper, salt, reserved pan drippings, potatoes, garlic and remaining 3 tbsp. oil in roasting pan. Toss thoroughly to combine well and roast for about 30 minutes, until meat is cooked thoroughly and golden and vegetables are tender.

Toss as needed during cooking.

If rabbit or potatoes appear to be getting too dry during cooking, add ½ cup white wine to pan and toss to combine. Serve hot on warmed platter or plates. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and bacon.

— Divine Café char broiling and butchering, they don’t know. But it’s fun for them. So you just try to help them.”

Despite that minimal assistance from the pros, when the group sat down to eat, everyone was able to proudly point to a dish he or she had made. And they seemed to unanimously approve of the results.

“I feel it turned out great,” John Carlton, who attended with his wife, said of the feast. “It was a unique experience, not just making your own meal, but the pressure of (all these) people. This is a great experience. This is wonderful.”

Contact Al Mancini at Amancini@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5250. Follow @Almancinivegas on Twitter.