Somebunny loves you when you’re hopping to get dinner ready. Bad puns aside, it’s not a leap (oops, did it again) to say that rabbit is a surprisingly tasty protein choice. While extremely lean, cooking it to retain its moisture isn’t that complicated.





How does rabbit taste? Picture chicken with a turkey texture and you have rabbit. Rabbit is considerably more expensive than your standard variety game meats at roughly $21/lb for the quality stuff, so be sure to shop around for the best prices.

Tip: When rabbit isn’t an option, butterfly and pound down turkey breasts instead.

Let’s say you’re not quite ready to foray into the world of wild game. (If you had told me a year ago I’d be trying rabbit as a main course I would have laughed. And then I might have pushed you out the front door prematurely.) Make this dish with turkey instead! The acids of the red pepper sauce are perfect for the more smokey turkey.

I was really happy with the combination of bacon with pecans. Together there’s a smoky, acidic flavor that works well with the red pepper sauce. The final flourish of shredded cabbage and carrot adds a coolness and some added color to the plate.

Tip: Bagged cole slaw, even without the dressing, is perfect as a raw garnish to cool down spicy, zesty dishes.

As you can see, we’re looking at healthy ingredients and lots of color.

Tip: Keep pre-cooked bacon on hand for everything from omelets to casseroles.

This recipe is Atkins induction friendly, gluten-free, sugar-free and only 2.3 net carbs.

Bacon Stuffed Rabbit Loin with Red Pepper Sauce

Rabbit

4 fresh rabbit loins (about 1.25 pounds)

3 slices bacon, cooked and chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and diced

1 small celery rib, diced

1/4 cup sweet yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

1 large egg

4 Tbsp butter or 2 Tbsp olive oil

a pinch of organic sea salt

fresh milled pepper to taste

Red pepper sauce

1 cup roasted red peppers

1 cup organic chicken broth

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

2 Tbp olive oil

1/2 Tbsp dried basil

a pinch of organic sea salt

fresh milled pepper to taste

For the rabbit:

Process bacon in a processor to a rough chunks. Set aside. Pulse carrot, celery and onion in the processor to a semi-fine mince (chunks still visible–see image below). Place vegetables in a bowl. In the same processor, lightly pulse the pecans. Add in vegetables and bacon and pulse to intermingle ingredients. In a frying pan, melt butter. Add processed contents of bacon, vegetables and pecans and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes. Scoop out 1.5 cups of the vegetable/bacon/nut stuffing and mix with the egg and the salt. Reserve the rest as a relish.

With a sharp knife, carefully slice (butterfly) down the length of rabbit and press open. Remove any white membranes present. Sprinkle with pepper. Spoon the mixture into the loin. Roll. Tightly wrap the loins in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil for a moisture barrier.

Over medium-high heat, simmer the wrapped loins for about 30 minutes or until firm. Carefully remove from the water. Unwrap carefully, and don’t burn your fingers. Let cool and slice into small rounds. Arrange on plates, as pictured.

For the red pepper sauce: Process all ingredients in a blender or processor. Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with meat.

Serves 8

Nutritional Information per 1/8 of the recipe: Calories: 243.5, Carbohydrates: 3.6 g, Fiber: 1.25 g, Net Carbohydrates: 2.35 g, Protein: 19.7 g, Fat: 16.6 g

Pictured here with dry, bagged coleslaw for some color contrast and a mild flavor to offset the more colorful, flavorful components of the dish.