Australian Poached Rabbit with Bruschetta

1 Spanish onion, peeled and sliced
2 Stalks of celery, chopped
2 sm Carrots, chopped
2 Sprigs of thyme
2 Bay leaves
12 Black peppercorns
1 Rabbit
2 Cloves of garlic, quartered
16 sm Fresh sage leaves
2 1/2 c Extra virgin olive oil
1 Crusty Italian ring loaf of bread (preferably day-old)
Mesclun, to serve
Lemon wedges (optional), to serve

Bring 6 liters of salted water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add onion, celery, carrot, herbs and peppercorns and return to the boil. Skim surface. Add rabbit and return to the boil. Reduce heat to lowest setting, cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour, or until rabbit is tender. Remove from heat and cool rabbit in cooking liquid. Remove rabbit from liquid, strip meat from bones and place it in a single layer on a plate or tray. Season meat generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Return bones to cooking liquid and boil again to make stock to freeze for another purpose, if desired.

Transfer rabbit to a bowl. Add garlic, sage and oil just to cover. Using your hands, mix ingredients to combine, then cover and refrigerate for 48 hours.

Cut bread into 1cm-thick slices and brush both sides with remaining oil combined with 1 teaspoon sea salt. Place in a single layer on a rack on an oven tray and bake at 150C for 30 minutes, or until pale golden. Using a slotted spoon, remove rabbit from oil, and serve at room temperature with warm bruschetta, mesclun and lemon wedges, if desired.

Rabbit Pot Pie

1 rabbit, cut into serving pieces
water
vinegar
salt and pepper
flour
2 med. onions, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3 potatoes, diced
pie crust or biscuits

Soak rabbit in equal parts of water and vinegar overnight.

Remove rabbit from water/
vinegar mixture and dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste and roll in flour.

In a stew pot, lg. skillet or dutch oven, heat a little oil and brown the rabbit quickly on both sides.

Add enough water to cover the rabbit. Cover and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hrs.

Add the onions, carrots and potatoes. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender.

Thicken the broth with flour. Use 2 T. of flour for each cup of broth.

Pour into a greased baking dish and top with the pie crust or with biscuits.

Cook at 375 until the crust is golden brown.

Stuffed Rabbit (Irish Armagh Style)

1 Rabbit
2 oz Flour
2 c Breadcrumbs
2 lg Cooking apples
1 tbs Thyme
1 tbs Salt
1 Egg
2 oz Butter Stock
1 lg Onion
2 tbs Parsley
1 tbs Sugar
1 oz Butter
Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS: Wash and dry rabbit. Chop onions and fry gently in 2 oz of the butter. Peel apples and chop; add to onions and fry until soft. Mix onions, apple and butter with all other stuffing ingredients, and brown quickly in remaining butter. Place rabbit in a casserole, stuff, surround with excess stuffing, add well-seasoned stock, and cook for 1 3/4 hours, or until tender, at 350 degrees.

New England Style Elk Sloppy Joes
2 tbsp. oil
1 lb. ground elk
1/4 c. diced onion
1 tbsp. molasses
1 can tomato sauce (4 1/2 oz.)
1 can catsup
1 tsp. horseradish
1 tbsp. yellow mustard
2 tbsp. brown sugar (optional)
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
4 to 6 sandwich rolls

Brown meat and onions in oil. Drain fat. Add remaining ingredients, except for cheese. Spoon mixture onto rolls and top with shredded cheese.
Jill Johnson, South Hamilton, Mass.

Applesauce Elk Meat Loaf

* 1 cup applesauce
* 2 tbsp chopped onion
* salt to taste
* 1 tbsp prepared mustard
* 1 lb ground ELK meat 1 tsp vinegar
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1 cup soft bread crumbs
* 1 tsp pepper
* 1 tbsp finely chopped celery
* 1 egg beaten
* 2 slices lightly cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)
* 1 tsp prepared mustard

Combine bread crumbs and 1/2 cup applesauce. Add onion, salt, pepper, celery, mustard, egg and ground ELK meat, (bacon is optional). Blend thoroughly. Shape into round in a 9" x 9" x 2" pan. With a spoon, make an impression in top of the loaf. Combine the second 1/2 cup applesauce, brown sugar, vinegar and mustard. Pour into the impression in meat loaf. Bake at 350 degrees F. for one hour. Delicious family favorite!

Elk Chili

SERVES 8 (change servings and units)

Ingredients

* 2 lbs ground elk or ground beef or ground turkey
* 1 onion, diced
* 2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans tomato soup
* 1 cup water
* 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can mexican stewed tomatoes, undrained
* 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
* 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
* 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
* 2 chicken bouillon cubes
* 1 teaspoon Mexican seasoning
* 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions

1. Brown the meat and onion. Drain.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, at least 1 hour, best after 3 hours.
3. You may simmer uncovered or add water to reach desired thickness.
4. Serve with cubed cheddar cheese and crescent rolls.

Elk Royale Soup

2 lbs. ground elk meat 6 chicken bouillon cubes 6 beef bouillon cubes 1 diced onion 2 stalks diced celery 5 sliced carrots 4 diced potatoes 2 sliced parsnips 1 sliced turnip 1 10 oz. pkg. frozen peas 1 10 oz. pkg. frozen corn 9 cups water 1/8 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. sweet basil 1/4 tsp. oregano 1/4 tsp. parsley 1 bay leaf

Brown ground elk meat in large kettle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Dissolve bouillon cubes in water and add to kettle. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour on medium heat. Discard bay leaf before serving.