Looks aren't everything, but....

Lately rabbit has been appearing on big city restaurant menus. It is a delicious white meat, mild in flavor, which can be used in most recipes that call for chicken or veal. If it makes an appearance on a menu I’m inclined to order it simply because it isn’t chicken or veal. Chicken always seems a bit boring if you’re dining out – unless of course you happen to be at Zuni Cafe. Veal is still boycotted in my family for humanitarian reasons.

When I saw rabbit had made it to the menu of a favorite local restaurant – braised rabbit no less -- I jumped at the chance to try it. It was served atop a delicious corn cake with a delicate sauce and…what else? I couldn’t tell you. The entire dish has been purged from my memory and here’s why: It looked like canned albacore tuna, all light and flaky on top of a corn cake. Try as I might to enjoy the subtle flavors of the dish, the visual was too much for me. With each bite, the anticipation of tasting tuna killed it for me. Don’t get me wrong, I like a good tuna sandwich as much as the next guy but I wanted rabbit on my corn cake! I couldn’t get past it.

Maybe you can’t judge a book by its cover but when it comes to truly enjoying a good meal, a key ingredient is the visual appeal of the dish. Café Pasqual’s does a great chicken recipe called Pollo Pibil. My daughter has always called it Lobster Chicken because of the beautiful orange color the achiote paste imparts on the chicken. The accompanying Saffron Rice is a beautiful rich yellow and enhances the taste and visual presentation of the Pollo Pibil.

Pollo Pibil

Adapted from Café Pasqual’s Cookbook

Some day I’m going to find a big, beautiful, freshly butchered rabbit to use in place of the chicken in this dish!

For the chicken:

4 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon cloves

1 ½ tablespoons black peppercorns

½ cup achiote paste

3 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 cups fresh orange juice

½ lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh marjoram leaves or 1 tablespoon dried marjoram

½ cup olive oil

6 chicken breast halves or a mixure of breasts and thighs.

Combine cumin, cinnamon and cloves in a dry sauté pan and roast over medium heat until fragrant (about 2 minute). Cool and grind in a spice mill or coffee grinder until fine.

Combine remaining ingredients – except the chicken – in a blender, process to incorporate.

Place chicken in a large ziplock baggie, pour in marinade and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 36 hours.

Cook chicken on a charcoal grill.

Saffron Rice:

1 teaspoon saffron threads

¼ cup olive oil

½ white onion, minced

1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups long grain white rice (this is one recipe that I do use white rice in just because it looks better than when made with brown rice)

3 cups water

Combine olive oil, onion, garlic, salt, and white pepper in the bottom of a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add rice and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add water, then saffron and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 – 30 minutes until rice is tender.

Serve with a big green salad.