Rabbit Chasseur
Rabbit is more common in Europe than in the United States. Gerard Crozier’s version of rabbit stew gives Americans a good reason to try this relatively new meat. The rabbit is browned, then cooked in wine with onions, mushrooms, and tomato. Note the use of beurre manie, butter creamed with flour, to thicken the pan sauce.
Ingredients
- Rabbits - 2, cleaned and cut into serving pieces
- Flour for dusting
- Oil - 1/4 cup
- Onions - 1/4 cup, chopped
- Mushrooms - 1 pound, sliced
- Tomatoes - 2, chopped
- Bay Leaves - 2 to 3
- Tomato paste - 1 tablespoon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Dry white wine - 2 cups
- Unsalted Butter - 2 tablespoons
- Flour - 2 tablespoons
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Dust the rabbit pieces lightly with flour. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and brown the rabbits quickly on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain off the oil. Add the onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, bay leaves, and tomato paste; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, until the onions are softened. Add the wine and bring to a boil, stirring up the glaze from the bottom of the pan. Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven; take the rabbit out of the pan and set aside. Cream the butter and flour together to make beurre manie, then stir the beurre manie into the sauce in the pan to thicken it.
To serve: Divide the rabbit pieces among warmed serving plates. Spoon pan sauce over the rabbit.
