Braised Rabbit with Mustard Sauce

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

17 people added this to their Recipe Box

This recipe makes 6 servings

Nutritional Info
Per serving: about	-
cal	715715 cal
pro	77 g77g pro
total fat	39 g39g total fat
sat. fat	15 g15g sat. fat
carb	8 g8g carb
fibre	1 g1g fibre
chol	254 mg254mg chol
sodium	880 mg880mg sodium
% RDI:	-
calcium	88 calcium
iron	4949 iron
vit A	1414 vit A
vit C	33 vit C
folate	1717 folate

Fresh rabbit is available at many butcher shops and grocery stores. Because rabbits are small, you will need two for six people. Rabbit with mustard sauce is a classic of French cooking that is still popular in New France. Thanks to Andrew Chase for this recipe.

Ingredients

2 2(about 3-1/4 lb/1.6 kg each) (about 3-1/4 lb/1.6 kg each)rabbitrabbits, cut into pieces and reserving liver and kidneys
2 tbsp lemon juice 2 2tbsp tbsplemon juice
1/2 tsp pepper , approx1/2 1/2tsp tsppepper, approx
1 tsp salt , approx1 1tsp tspsalt, approx
2 tbsp olive oil 2 2tbsp tbspolive oil or vegetable oil
1/4 cup butter 1/4 1/4cup cupbutter
2/3 cup minced shallots 2/3 2/3cup cupminced shallotshallots
2 cloves garlic , minced2 2cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine 1 1cup cupdry white wine
8 thinly sliced mushrooms 8 8thinly sliced mushroommushrooms
1-1/3 1-1/3cups cupsrabbit broth or chicken broth
1 tbsp minced fresh tarragon 1 1tbsp tbspminced fresh tarragon
2 tbsp brandy , (optional)2 2tbsp tbspbrandy, (optional)
1/2 cup whipping cream 1/2 1/2cup cupwhipping cream
2 tbsp all purpose flour 2 2tbsp tbspall purpose flour
2 tbsp Dijon mustard 2 2tbsp tbspDijon mustard
8 8French-style cornichons, finely sliced (or 1 tbsp/15 ml drained capers)

Preparation

In large bowl, toss rabbit pieces with lemon juice; let stand for 20 minutes or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 hours. With paper towel, pat rabbit dry; sprinkle with pepper and half of the salt.

In Dutch oven, heat oil and 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the butter over medium-high heat; in batches, brown rabbit. Transfer to plate. Discard fat from pan.

Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the remaining butter to pan; cook shallots and garlic until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in wine and remaining salt. Return rabbit to pan. Add mushrooms, broth and tarragon; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, turning pieces halfway through, until rabbit is tender, 75 to 90 minutes.

Just before serving, melt remaining butter in small skillet over medium heat; cook liver, kidneys and pinch each salt and pepper until pink at centre, about 2 minutes. Add brandy (if using) and ignite; when flames die down, add to rabbit mixture and cook for 1 minute. Transfer rabbit pieces, liver and kidneys to warmed serving platter; keep warm.

Whisk cream with flour; add to Dutch oven and bring to boil over medium heat. Boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Whisk in mustard and cornichons; return to boil. Spoon over rabbit.

Additional information : Tip: Ask the butcher to cut the rabbit or do it yourself (it's easier than cutting up a chicken). Remove liver and kidneys and reserve. Cut off each foreleg at joint above rib cage. Pull back legs out of sockets at thighs and cut off. Chop off head if necessary (save for stockpot). Chop rib cage and tail end from saddle (meaty back section); halve saddle crosswise. (Cook rib cage with rabbit pieces, if desired, or save it along with tail end for stockpot.)

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: March 2009