After pondering how to prepare the rabbit we bought at the Portland Farmer’s Market, and toying with the idea of frying it, I finally decided on roasting it. Basted with white wine and greased up with a lemony herb butter, it came out moist and tender. Unfortunately, it also took a long time to cook — longer than we’d expected — so we just nibbled at it a bit and put the rest in the fridge… for roasted rabbit stew. You’ve heard the phrase a thousand times before, but it really does taste like chicken, although the texture is unique, because the rabbit’s body is so different in structure and function from a chicken’s.

Lemon Herb-Butter Roasted Rabbit

1 rabbit, cleaned and ready to roast

1 lemon, juiced

1 stick butter

1 tbsp fresh rosemary

4 cloves garlic

2 c white wine (your choice)

sea salt and cracked black pepper

carrots and potatoes

Preheat your oven to 350°F and place your rabbit on a rack in a roasting pan, supported by carrots and potatoes (if necessary; ours didn’t want to stay up on its own!) In a food processor, grind rosemary as finely as possible. Add garlic and chop, then add butter and lemon juice. Rub the rabbit generously with this butter; if there is extra, daub it onto the potatoes. Pour wine directly into roasting pan. Salt and pepper the rabbit and place in the oven. Bake 60-90 minutes or until the rabbit reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, basting with wine (and melted butter) occasionally. Reserve pan juices, carcass and any leftover meat for stew, if desired.