Rabbit soup?

It could have been the extreme heat (at 35ºC its even hotter than it should be at this time of year), or it could have been the humidity (at almost 90% because of the severe lack of rain). Alternatively it could have been the realisation of that the rabbits were here for more than their compost contribution - when I ran into the team killing, skinning and gutting a row of rabbits. Either way, I had my first crash in the Caribbean; nothing a lie down in the air conditioning didn’t sort but nonetheless not the most pleasant of mornings.

Don’t think me a wimp; I’m not super squeamish. I’ve been in and out of working abattoirs, watched our slaughterer do the same with sheep at home and attended the odd bull fight or two… And I wanted to learn so watched along for a good while, but something about the smell of rabbit guts and suffocating heat don’t mix too well. And I guess they just didn’t look like bunnies for soup – they were white and fluffy and not at all like the mxymaetosis-ridden (I have no hope of spelling this without the internet!) mousey-brown rabbits that get shot in the fields behind our home.

Naturally, within half an hour word had spread like wildflower that I was unwell. Being western and a woman makes me doubly likely to suffer from the heat, apparently. And the prognosis offered by Salcines? “It’s the sugar. In those cold countries you’re used to eating lots of protein and lots of fat but not lots of sugar. Sugar helps you in the heat.” And despite my protests he gave me a sweet as he walked away.

Anyway, we found out that rabbit is eaten here. Unsurprising really now I come to think of it. Given the set up at the farm it’s fairly low maintenance and cheap to produce, as well as being one of the healthiest meats around; rich and gamey as I seem to remember. We’re yet to have it here but I’ll take a guess at how it’ll be cooked. Either a) fried up to sit alongside rice and plantain, or b) thrown in to give some flavour to a tasty soup, perhaps together with some turmeric – condiment of the moment here due to its immense health properties. Either way there isn’t much flesh on a bunny, even when it’s a big one like those at the organopónico, so it’ll definitely be stretched out and made the most of.  

Looking forward to it already?!