It's time to leave behind the slow-cooked dishes of winter. Take advantage of the summer to discover this lean meat that will simplify your life during vacation time. Kebabs, grilling, terrines… anything's possible with rabbit! Enjoy it hot or cold, grilled, sliced or cubed for brochettes. Here are some cuts of rabbit suitable for quick, light cooking.

BONELESS SHOULDER AND RIBS (GIGOLETTE)
This is a tender and flavorful cut, ideal for grilling.

On the barbecue: Coat the shoulder and rib sections with a mixture of honey and mustard and season with thyme and rosemary. Place them on the barbecue and grill for 15 minutes. Serve with an eggplant and tomato salad for the full flavor of summer!

LEGS
Light and flavorful, gourmets appreciate the legs for their tenderness and refined flavor. Marinated and cooked in the oven for 25 minutes, they're perfect served cold for picnics since they can be eaten with the fingers… no need for a fork. A real treat!

Microwave packets: Place the rabbit legs on parchment paper. Add some thinly sliced carrot, a little lemon balm and Espelette chili, and you're set! Close up the packets and cook for 20-25 minutes.

CHIC OUTERWEAR!
To wrap rabbit "en papillote" before cooking, use large banana leaves (sold in Asian groceries) or long spring leek or chard leaves - they're a perfect seasonal choice!

SADDLE
You can find whole, halved or cut-up saddle of rabbit. It's a meaty cut much appreciated by aficionados. In thin slices, tenderloins or cubes, saddle of rabbit makes the best brochettes of the summer!

Brochettes (kebabs): Cut the tenderloin into cubes. On long wooden skewers, alternate shallots, red peppers, zucchini and cubes of saddle of rabbit. Cook on the barbecue for 15 minutes. Thinly-sliced saddle of rabbit is equally delicious and also cooks quickly on the grill (15 minutes).

In a wok: Slice the saddle of rabbit thinly and cook in a wok with olive oil and seasonal vegetables. Serve with basmati rice.

Tenderloins: To give your rabbit even more flavor, marinate the saddles for several hours. Give free rein to your imagination. Rabbit pairs well with any aromatic herb.

LIVER
Rabbit liver is delicious! It can be found pre-packaged in some good grocery and butcher shops.

Sautéed for a few minutes with raspberry vinegar and served with a little lamb's lettuce (mâche) salad, it makes a simple and original first course.

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Photo: Clipp/Y. Bagros