Rabbit with Mustard and Mushrooms in Creamy Wine Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 medium onion (or 2, if you like)
2-3 cloves garlic
a 3-pound rabbit, whole or cut into pieces
1/4 cup Dijon mustard (or more, as needed--some of us prefer a stronger version like Maille's 'Extra hot')
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1 3/4 cups chicken or mushroom broth (13 3/4 fluid ounces)
several sprigs of fresh thyme
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms (crimini are good)
approx. 1/3 cup whipping cream or creme fraîche
PREPARATION
Cut onion into thin slices, chop the garlic. Pat rabbit pieces to dry, slather on Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper. In a deep large heavy skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and brown rabbit pieces on all sides in 2 batches. Transfer rabbit as browned to a platter.
In skillet cook onion and garlic in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add wine and boil until liquid is reduced by about a third. Return rabbit to skillet and add broth and thyme sprigs. Simmer rabbit, covered, until tender, around 60-70 minutes (rabbit is best if not rushed). In the meantime, sauté mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter.
Remove rabbit from skillet and boil sauce until reduced to about 2 cups. Whisk in the whipping cream or creme fraîche. Add the sautéed mushrooms, and salt and pepper to taste. Return rabbit to skillet and cook over moderately low heat, turning rabbit to coat with sauce, until heated through.
Serve this dish with steamed red potatoes, wilted spinach with lemon juice, and a bowl of fresh summer berries.
