Rabbit with Chiles and Tomatillos
In Mexico, slow-cooked meats like this are sometimes first wrapped in maguey leaves (from the maguey cactus), which are not available here. In this recipe, the rabbit is braised in aluminum foil with the fresh green aromatics of cilantro and mint, the earthiness of garlic, the tartness of tomatillos, and the heat of jalapeños. The recipe also works well with chicken thighs. Buy the same amount as rabbit and cook as directed here, but remove the skin from the thighs and check sooner for doneness, as they might finish in less time.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 8 to 10 tacos
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Dust the rabbit pieces on both sides with salt and green chile powder; set aside.
Step 2
In a large, heavy nonstick skillet, heat the oil on high heat. Sauté the rabbit until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the heat, reserving the pan drippings.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a heavy-duty sheet pan or roasting pan with two 24-inch-long sheets of 12-inch-wide heavy-duty aluminum foil. Have another 24 by 12-inch sheet of heavy-duty foil ready. On the foil, place half of the jalapeños, cilantro, mint, garlic, and tomatillos, spreading evenly into a 12 by 12-inch square. Place the sautéed rabbit pieces on the chile mixture and top with the reserved pan drippings. Layer on the remaining jalapeños, cilantro, mint, garlic, and tomatillos. Seal into a tight packet by crimping the ends of the foil together. Mold the remaining piece of foil over the top of the packet. Place in the oven and cook until the meat easily pulls apart and shreds with 2 forks and is still moist without any pinkness.
Step 4
Remove from the oven, open the foil a little to let the steam escape (use caution, as the steam is hot), and let the meat rest for about 20 minutes. Remove the rabbit from the foil, saving the juices; discard the vegetables.
Step 5
Shred the meat from the bones and reserve in a saucepan with the pan juices. Serve immediately or keep warm in the pan until ready to serve.
Step 6
To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the filling equally between the tortillas and top with garnish and salsa. Grab, fold, and eat right away. Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with garnish and salsa, fold, and eat right away.
