Backyard Rabbit and Artichoke Paella

This is not one of the easiest recipes to prepare but it is a great one-dish meal and one of my favorite ways to entertain. I prepared this dish with chicken one time but it was not as good as the rabbit version. The recipe by Jeff Koehler originally appeared in the grill issue of Gourmet magazine in 2008 and I made it dozens of times when I had a house with a big backyard.
Course Main Course
Servings 8
Calories 776 kcal

Equipment

  • 22-inch wide charcoal grill and a 6-pound bag of hardwood charcoal
  • OR a 26 x 20 inch gas grill
  • 16- or 18-inch polished carbon-steel paella pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lemon
  • 6 medium artichokes about 2 pounds
  • 2 pounds tomatoes
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup slivered almonds
  • ½ cup parsley leaves
  • 2-2½ pound whole rabbit cut into 12 pieces
  • 2 teaspoons salt divided
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 8 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • ¼ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon sweet Spanish smoked paprika
  • 3 cups short or medium grain rice preferably Spanish Bomba

Instructions
 

  • Squeeze juice from 1 lemon into a bowl of cold water, reserving remaining half. Keeping stem attached, cut off top 2 inches of 1 artichoke. Bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base and discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until exposed leaves are pale green at top and yellow at base. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and sides with a sharp paring knife, then rub cut surfaces with reserved lemon half. Trim ½-inch from end of stem and trim sides of stem down to pale inner core (don’t worry if remaining flesh is very thin), then cut artichoke lengthwise into 8 wedges and cut-out choke. Rub cut surfaces with reserved lemon half and drop artichoke pieces into acidulated water. Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.
  • Cut a shallow X in bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife and blanch in a 3 quart saucepan of boiling water for 10 seconds. Transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to cool. Peel tomatoes, then discard seeds and finely chop.
  • Combine garlic, almonds and parsley in the food processor and process with an on/off motion to form a rough paste.
  • Prepare grill for cooking over direct heat with medium hot charcoal (medium high heat for gas).
  • Drain artichokes and pat dry between paper towels.
  • Pat rabbit dry and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper.
  • Heat chicken stock with saffron and keep at a low simmer.
  • Heat oil in paella pan on grill rack, covered with grill lid, until oil is hot but not smoking. Using pot holders, swirl oil in pan to evenly distribute it, then remove lid and brown rabbit well on all sides, turning, about 8 minutes total. Transfer browned rabbit pieces to a plate and set aside.
  • Add artichokes and bell pepper to center of pan and cook, stirring and turning artichokes frequently, until artichokes are golden brown, about 4 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes, garlic paste, and remaining teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until mixture is thickened, about 6 minutes.
  • Sprinkle mixture with paprika and let cook, undisturbed, 1 minute, add the rice and stir to coat well for 2 minutes. Return rabbit to the pan and add the stock and saffron mixture.

On a charcoal grill

  • Increase heat to high by stoking the charcoal, then cover paella with grill lid. Cook, covered, rotating pan a quarter turn every 5 minutes, until all of the liquid is absorbed and each grain of rice is distinct and just tender (similar to al dente), 20 to 25 minutes. (If all liquid has evaporated and rice is still not tender, sprinkle tepid water, a tablespoon at a time, over rice where needed and cook for 1-2 minutes more.)
  • Carefully remove pan from grill, then cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

On a gas grill

  • Follow instructions above, starting with heat on high. After rice has been cooking for 10 minutes, reduce heat to medium and, continuing to turn pan a quarter turn every 5 minutes, cook until all of liquid is absorbed and each grain of rice is distinct and just tender (similar to al dente), 10 to 15 minutes more. (If all liquid has evaporated and rice is still not tender, sprinkle tepid water, a tablespoon at a time, over rice where needed and cook for 1-2 minutes more.)
  • Carefully remove pan from grill, then cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Additional notes: If your paella pan does not have heatproof handles, wrap a double thickness of foil around handles before placing pan on the grill. Italian Carnaroli and Japanese sushi rice also work, however long-grain or parboiled varieties do not. If unable to grill outdoors, paella can also be cooked on a stovetop. Follow procedure for gas grill above, keeping paella pan uncovered at all times during cooking, browning rabbit over high heat, then reducing heat to medium-high once stock is added. Simmer paella until all the liquid has evaporated and rice is distinct and just tender (similar to al dente), 15-20 minutes. (If all liquid has evaporated and rice is still not tender, sprinkle tepid water, a tablespoon at a time, over rice where needed and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.)

Nutrition

Calories: 776kcalCarbohydrates: 98gProtein: 49gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 1096mgPotassium: 1613mgFiber: 11gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1874IUVitamin C: 59mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 11mg
Keyword artichokes, grilling, paella, rabbit, rice
NOTE: Nutrition values are approximate and for informational purposes only. Values do not include optional or alternate ingredients, nor do they include the nutritional values for any secondary recipes that may be listed in the ingredients.