The Maltese Rabbit

I recently had a conversation around the eating of rabbit as a friend had mentioned that he’d had it for lunch. Now I know rabbit is widely eaten across Europe (one has only to have walked past a Parisian butcher to see the wide array of unusual animals being hung in the window) and seen as a delicacy in some cultures, I, however, cannot get my head around it.

Having lunch in Malta last year whilst out there on holiday, my boyfriend ordered rabbit. At the time I was still a strict vegetarian, and seeing those tiny bones on the plate really didn’t do much for my appetite. I do recall I ordered some type of stuffed squid, which, I was convinced, had ground mince meat in eat.

The wind was blowing, the conversation non-existent, the food less than appetising, and I think I probably got through a bottle of wine on my own to drown out the very awful situation. Needless to say, the boyfriend became the ex-boyfriend within a week of returning home from the holiday.

Malta, interestingly, does produce some decent wines, many of which I sampled on my holiday (the volume of which I would put down to attempting to getting through the holiday as painless as possible). Although I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy any back here in London, and unless you are stuck with that as your choice, there’s really not much need to drink it. The seafood was generally good, and as long you took pains to find a decent restaurant and avoid the general tourist traps, you’ll probably be alright.

I’m quite happy to be served (or cook myself) a medium rare steak, am no longer squeamish at the thought of chicken on the bone and am getting used to eating lamb. (My roasted lamb noisettes at Easter were absolutely delicious, if I do say so myself). However, rabbit, offal, brains, liver, foie gras and tongue are all on my list of animal that I shall not be trying this side of sanity.