Lapin a la Moutarde

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the rabbit very dry with kitchen paper so it browns rather than steams. Season all over with the salt and black pepper, then dust lightly with the flour, shaking off any excess. Slice the shallots and garlic, strip the thyme if the stems are woody, and measure the remaining ingredients so the cooking moves quickly.

2. 2

   Heat a heavy sauté pan or shallow casserole over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When the foam subsides, brown the rabbit pieces well on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side; work in batches if needed so the pan is not crowded. Good caramelisation is essential for depth, but do not let the butter burn. Transfer the browned rabbit to a plate.

3. 3

   Lower the heat to medium. Add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes, stirring and scraping the fond from the base. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds more, just until fragrant; the shallots should soften without taking much colour.

4. 4

   Pour in the white wine and bring to a brisk simmer. Reduce for 2-3 minutes until slightly syrupy and the raw alcohol smell has mostly gone. Add the chicken stock, return the rabbit and any juices to the pan, and turn the pieces to coat.

5. 5

   Cover partially and braise gently over low heat for 22-25 minutes, turning once halfway through. The liquid should barely tremble, not boil hard. The rabbit is done when the thickest part of the leg reaches a safe temperature and the meat feels tender when pierced, but is not yet falling apart.

6. 6

   Transfer the rabbit to a warm plate and keep loosely covered. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Increase the heat to medium and reduce the cooking liquid for 2-3 minutes if it looks thin. Whisk the Dijon mustard, wholegrain mustard, and cream together in a bowl, then whisk this mixture into the pan off the heat first to prevent splitting. Return to low heat and cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon; do not boil once the cream is added.

7. 7

   Stir in the lemon juice and half of the parsley, then taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Return the rabbit to the sauce and spoon it over for 1 minute, just to glaze and reheat evenly.

8. 8

   Rest for 3 minutes off the heat so the sauce settles slightly. Serve the rabbit with the mustard cream spooned generously over the top and finish with the remaining parsley.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •A young farmed rabbit is best here; older wild rabbit is leaner and usually needs longer braising than this 60-minute format allows.
• •If your pan is wide and the rabbit pieces are small, start checking for doneness at 20 minutes to avoid dryness, especially in the loin pieces.
• •Serve with buttered potatoes, tagliatelle, or a simple puree to catch the sauce.
• •Use a wine you would drink: a dry, crisp white such as Chardonnay, Macon, or Sauvignon Blanc works well.
• •For the smoothest sauce, always lower the heat before adding mustard and cream, then rewarm gently rather than boiling.

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