Ear-resistible: el Bulli's deep fried rabbit ears with aromatic herbs

It's hard to keep your eyes off two bloody ears joined by a strip of fur, trust me.  I suppose the instinct that compels us to stare at a bag of bunny scalps is the same force that makes us slow down for a glimpse of a traffic accident or any potentially grisly scene: morbid curiosity.

I'd be lying if I didn't say I felt troubled the first time I saw them. There's something about rabbit ears.  Most of us have managed to distance ourselves from the brutality behind our meals. We're so inured to the sight of a steak or a chicken breast, that we've become disconnected from the fact that an animal had to be killed and butchered to produce them.  But rabbit ears go beyond even that.

The problem is cuteness.  A cow is not always cute.  A crimson slab of meat certainly isn't.  But a pair of bunny ears is an altogether different story. Not only are rabbits cute, their ears are an essential part of their cuteness, perhaps even its essence.  Looking at steak calls to mind images of summer barbecues; looking at big, floppy rabbit ears conjures up happy childhood memories of Bugs Bunny or the Easter Bunny.

By turning adorable into dinner -- or at least a surprisingly delicious snack -- el Bulli's deep fried rabbit ears with aromatic herbs (click here to see the el Bulli catalogue photo), from the el Bulli 2003-2004 cookbook, challenge our assumptions about food.  Eating game, and doing so respectfully by being frugal and eating as much of an animal as possible, is a deeply rooted tradition in most parts of the world.  Spain is no exception, and Rachel and I vividly remember the arresting sights of the butcher stalls specializing in offal and game meats in Barcelona's La Boqueria market.

North American butchers are not nearly as open.  "You're kidding, right?" is not the answer I was hoping for when I asked my local butcher about rabbit ears.  His expression clearly communicated his doubts about my sanity and taste.  Few butchers sell rabbit, and those that do buy pre-butchered rabbits from outside sources.  That makes rabbit ears the specialest of special orders.  Nonetheless, he promised to see what he could do.  Sure enough, I got a call to pick up my ears about two weeks later. They were free, too, though the butcher requested I not ask for rabbit ears a second time.  Apparently getting them requires calling in some favours.  Why this should be is a mystery to me.  The rabbits at St. Lawrence Market always come with the head attached and the fur and ears removed, so unless there's a clandestine market in bunny scalps, this is the only known use for them.

I was leery about the prep for this dish.  Parts of it are simple: I used kitchen shears to remove the ears from the scalps, and I then soaked the ears in two changes of cold water for a total of twenty-four hours to leech out any remaining blood.  So far, so good.

With the easy part done, it was time to put aside any remaining inhibitions and channel Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction by blanching, then boiling the ears for thirty minutes.  This filled my kitchen with a slightly offputting scent -- think meat meets gym sock -- that I can only compare to that of boiling pigs' trotters (a scent you're no doubt all familiar with).  At this point, the ears can be skinned and cleaned.  This is surprisingly easy as long as the ears are hot.  The fur slips off effortlessly, and the only hard parts are not burning your fingers, cleaning out the inner ear, and removing the extensive network of veins, some of which are pitch black and no wider than a hair.  I found this last task quite difficult until a little experimentation revealed that gently scraping a serrated knife along the ear completes the task efficiently.  What's left is a pearlescent exclamation mark of cartilage.

After drying the ears in a warm oven, it was time to skewer and fry.  I heated up my olive oil and dropped in a few ears. "Splat! Thwack! Ptooey!"  I was being attacked by a hot olive oil insurgency, so I promptly sought refuge in a corner of my kitchen.  In a moment of kitchen bravery, the likes of which may never be seen again, I scurried through a hail of olive oil to retrieve the splatter guard I had stupidly forgotten in the opposite cupboard -- the one less than a metre from the pot of oil in which I was frying the ears, unfortunately.

The ears are rubbed with garlic and sprinkled with Maldon salt and homemade, dried, powdered thyme and rosemary after coming out of the oil.  The result is stupendous, something between a potato chip and pork crackling, though definitely closer to the latter.  The ears themselves are largely tasteless, a blank canvas for the garlic, salt, and herbs. The texture is what steals the show.  Fried foods disappoint without a little crunch to them.  I'd even go so far as to say that a crispiness is their primary allure.  Rabbit ears deliver this snap in spades.

Before preparing it, I must admit to wondering whether deep fried rabbit ears represented a victory for gimmickry over taste.   The very concept of eating bunny ears panders to the notion that molecular gastronomy is more about jumping the shark than preparing delicious food.  Even Rachel, a woman who has put up with more than her fair share of gastronomic stuntwork, had her doubts about this dish.  She ended up a convert.

Tasting puts any such fears to bed.  Deep fried rabbit ears are delicious.

This post has generated an intense reaction, both for and against.  Rather than add an incredibly long comment, I've posted my response here.  If you're intrigued by the issues surrounding this dish, please take the time to read it after digesting the comments below.

Comments

[Freya]

Wow, I just cooked a pigs trotter last night and thought that was pretty wild - nothing compared to these deep fried rabbit ears! I have never heard of such a thing - they look strangely appetising...

[Tommy]

Rob,

You need to move on. Your worship of this el Bulli fellow is almost evangelical. Some things are made not to eat and rabbits ears are one of them. Dude, I'm a certified carnivore and understand cattle, and poultry etc...are raised for eating, but this is just weird. I thought the Chinese untilized every part of animal. If this was joke, it wasn't very funny.

[Craig]

^
I know that in China they do use the Rabbit Head in some cooking, this is just a little higher. I've eaten pig's ears, beef tongue, and many other things.... why is this so weird?

Some find the fact that much of what we kill for purposes of eating -- is wasted -- Rob is just giving us gourmet uses to more fully utilize the full animal (in this case Rabbit).

[Regis]

Deep fried rabbit ears? How do you explain that to those starving children in Africa. Just kidding, love the post, a little twisted, but tasty nonetheless. Well done.

[ALF]

Die, Asshole.

[smithstgirl]

Bravo! Great post, incredibly informative. I'm trying to embrace the nose to toes philosophy of meat consumption, you just moved me a little closer. Thanks!

[Rabbits Feel Pain and Fear, just like you do.]

Your writing is ultra-homosexual out-of-reality that you enjoy experiencing yourself express. You are despicable and just want to go out of your way to do these things for your depraved glee. You show no ability to understand nor be moved by what animals go through, the tortures they experience. You have a perverse joy at breaking boundaries and attempting to get people to accept things that are naturally against them, leading to complete moral ambiguity. Why don't you explore the pain the rabbits feel? How about exploring how their heads are sawed off as they are fully conscious and how they scream like babies? How about expressing reasonable outrage at what is done to them? I hope you wake up and kick that evil spirit out of you! Stop playing a role. Cuteness does not have to have anything to do with it. These are aware beings that experience just as we do. It is murder and cannibalism, especially when there is no reason to do it. You are being twisted. Do something better with your life.

[Scott]

In response to Rabbits Feel Pain and Fear, just like you do.
Eating rabbits are not cannibalism. Cannibalism is defined as "is the act or practice of humans consuming other humans. In zoology, the term cannibalism is extended to refer to any species consuming members of its own kind." So saying eating rabbit is cabbalism just goes to show phenomenally ignorant you are. While humans have been eating rabbits since 1000BCE why longer than they have been domesticated for pets. So no boundary was broken as you put especially since rabbits ears have been eat in Europe for a while now. You are only upset because your personal views have been offended and you feel you have to force your fanatical views on others just like evangelical Christians. You need to learn that other people do not think the same way as you do and it should be respected.

[JG]

As a occasional reader of this blog, I want to say thanks. Food is my career and my passion, that things die to feed me is a natural part of the equation. We serve rabbit in my restaurant, if we can ensure that more of the rabbit is used and less wasted we show more respect towards the life of that creature. As an atheist I believe life is precious, especially since its all we've got. To imply that there are more or less humane ways of killing a creature is idiotic, its already the worst thing that you can do - the degrees are negligible at that point. Buy organic, buy free range, do what you can but it always comes back to death - its in our nature, its what we are. You've always done an exceptional job on this blog. Great subjects and excellent writing and photos - keep it up.

[opsin]

I am deeply disturbed by the way some people react to this. It's OK for people to eat rabbit meat but not the ears!? It's OK for chickens to be farmed in battery conditions but not rabbits?
Damn straight on the latter, but that's why we need to focus on doing away with farming ANYTHING in those conditions, not just the cute little bunnies. I am amazed at some of the whackjobs that come out of the woodwork when seeing a post like this.

Oh, and damn but they do look good... I could probably find a source for them from wild out in the country as I am, and that I'm most definitely fine with!

[Craig]

I gave up eating rabbits when I was younger -- lazyness really -- but this has just revived my interest in eating cute little bunnies (ears and all) at least once a week (sundays).

Die Rabbit Die!

[Russ]

This sort of recipe could get www.savetoby.com started again. Now I just have to find a place that will sell me rabbit ears.

[Jeff]

Hey,
Did you know that rabbits are the third most popular household pet? ;) Boy, the food control lobby certainly is original these days. To all those who judge and presume themselves right just back off and live and let live. The ears will either be used or wasted so better to take advantage and respect the animal.

[Melissa]

Wow, Rob, I have to applaud you for pushing the envelope once again! I can't say the sight of all those furry little ears didn't slightly freak me out, but I've been known to relish rabbit in too many other forms to justify any squeamishness. Thank you once again for broadening my culinary horizons.

p.s. I wonder where all these crazed anti-rabbit-eating people came from? Did PETA link to this post or something??

[PetaKillsAnimals]

If PETA gets involved -- then your in trouble (or at least your pets will be)..... They will kill your pets (including poor little furry bunnies)... but they will save them from being enslaved (and maybe eaten) by you.

[JeffH]

Yum!

[Helen]

Rob, Rob, Rob...I was not prepared for that....I eat rabbit, I have always eaten rabbit, I have seen it skinned, de-eyed, hacked and boiled and yet I was not prepared for that...and I was left uneasy, fidgeting on my chair...just because you prepared the element that represent the animal, the ears. You could have prepared the tails I would have felt the same way. I appreciate your adventurer cooking spirit. Glad you enjoyed them but I'll pass...ask me in a few years.

[jason]

I think we need to ignore the uninformed masses. Giving them press just urges them on. Someone just sent an email to everyone in their address book and like lemurs (wonder if there is a market for their ears hmmm), they all came running with their ridiculous and uninformed emails. Buy organic and free range and force inhumane and unsafe farmers out of business. I'm sure you knew there would be controversy on this one, so congrats for your bravery. Keep up the good work.

[kate]

OMG its the first for me.Never heard of eating rabbit ears.And specially the first picture has kind of freaked me out!And my stomach is kind of turning but i'm brave enough to admit that the fried version looks intresting.But it would still take a lot for me to eat that !

[Paige]

A highly enjoyable post, if mildly squicky. I don't know if I could bring myself to eat a rabbit ear, but reading about your experience was fascinating. The comments... well, those just led to some hearty guffaws. Keep up the great work, and cheers from a fellow Canuck.

[Ari (Baking and Books)]

Wow. This is by far the MOST interesting food blog post I have ever read. Ever. Maybe even the most interesting food article. Ever.

Rabbit Ears!! Whodathunkit?

[charles]

Thanks for this post Rob, great recipe and meticulous attention to mise-en-place. this was the first article of yours i'd read (found the link on ruhlman's site, referred by a friend), and i'll definitely return to read new articles.

to those self-righteous liberal twats crying out, claiming: "cruelty-ad-nauseum"

surely you have better things to do, and more meaningful soapboxes to stand on than this. equating this with nazism? you're just as intolerant as those conservatives that you claims to be fascist.

Grow up!

[Ivonne]

Rob,

I thought your post was brilliant, but I had no idea I'd be so entertained by comments. I can't believe some people.

While I have never tried rabbit ears and will admit that I probably never would have thought to try them, I found your experiment very intriguing. The "simple" preparation also makes it an attractive dish. I mean if it was stuffed rabbit ears or caramelized rabbit ears or something like that, I may have experienced a bit more trepidation. But if you ever made this for me, I'd try it.

Rabbit has always been a big part of my family's cooking repertoire. My grandparents would buy rabbits and raise them for eating purposes. I'm completely used to the idea.

I'm also with Bron. Should you be in need of protection, mi casa e su casa ... just be sure to bring the rabbit!

:o)

[latenac]

Great post. I never would have thought to do this. But have been meaning to get to a local rabbit farmer and make other rabbit dishes and will keep this in mind should I get asked if I'd like the ears. I like being able to use all of an animal and honor the fact that it gave it's life to feed me and my family. Better than hypocrites who will only eat boneless skinless chicken breasts b/c they no longer resemble the animal they came from. Or fish b/c they aren't cute.

[Sheryl]

I wonder how many of the bunny-lovers who have sent you hate mail eat beef, pork and chicken.