This recipe comes from How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking (Little, Brown) by Michael Psilakis.
As I've mentioned, the muscle formation in the legs of most animals makes for tough, stringy meat. Confit involves cooking slowly, which allows these formations to break down and yield a luscious result. The added dimension of grilling provides a brilliant smoky char that takes this dish to new levels. Serve with Greek Salad, Spinach Rice, Artichokes and Potato, or Dried Fruit Salad.
Serves 4 to 6 family-style, or more as part of a larger spread
• 1 whole rabbit, skinned and cut into
• 8 pieces (the saddle in 2 pieces)
• 1 whole shallot
• 10 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 fresh bay leaves or 6 dried leaves
• 8 cloves
• 15 to 20 whole black peppercorns
• 8 star anise pods
• 16 juniper berries
• 6 cardamom pods
• 10 sprigs thyme
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• Blended oil (90 percent canola, 10 percent extra-virgin olive)
• Roasted Lemon Purée (page 149, optional)
• Lemon wedges, for squeezing
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Rinse the rabbit in cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
In a heavy lidded pot or a large Dutch oven, combine the rabbit with the shallot, garlic cloves, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, star anise pods, juniper berries, cardamom pods, thyme, rosemary, mustard seeds, and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Add enough oil to cover by about half an inch, then lightly press a piece of parchment paper down on the surface of the oil. Cover the pan and cook until tender but not falling apart, about 3 hours.