2 Rabbits (1 to 1-1/2 lb. ea.)
1/2 cup Peanut oil
2 small Chili peppers
2 Garlic cloves — crushed
Flour 2 tablespoons Butter
1 large Carrot — finely diced
1/2 cup Finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons Finely chopped green pepper
1 cup Chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon Flour
1 can Condensed chicken broth
(10-1/2 ounce can) Juice of 1 small orange 2 tablespoons Finely shredded orange peel
2 tablespoons Peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 tablespoon Toasted sesame seeds
3 Whole cloves
1 dash Nutmeg
Salt — pepper 1 tablespoon Chopped parsley
Cut legs from rabbits and cut backs in three pieces. In a Dutch oven heat oil and add chili peppers. Fry peppers until brown, crushing them to extract juice. Remove peppers. Rub pieces of rabbit with garlic and then coat with flour. Brown pieces of rabbit in the oil until golden brown on all sides. Cover and simmer until rabbit is tender, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Pour off excess fat.
TO PREPARE SAUCE, melt buttter in a large saucepan. Saute’ carrot, onion, green pepper, and mushrooms. When vegetables are soft, stir in flour. Gradually stir in chicken broth and orange juice. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce bubbles and thickens slightly. Add orange peel, peanut butter, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, cloves, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer sauce about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place rabbit on a platter. Skim excess fat from top of sauce and spoon sauce over rabbit pieces. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Adapted recipe by Trader Vic, Senor Pico restaurant Campbell’s Great Restaurants Cookbook, U.S.A. Electronic format courtesy of Karen Mintzias