Ask your butcher for top-notch Rex de Poitou or ‘Label Rouge’ rabbit, and ask them to prepare the rabbit for you. Wild rabbits weigh less and will take a little longer to cook than farmed ones. Cook until the meat just falls off the bone.
1 whole farmed rabbit, about 1.5g-2kg/3lb 5oz-4lb 8oz, cut into 14 pieces (1 x head, 1 x neck, 2 x shoulders, 2 x legs, 3 x saddle, 3 x rib cage, 2 x belly)
4 pinches sea salt
4 pinches black pepper, crushed
1 heaped tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 onion, cut in 6
8 garlic cloves, skin on
150g/5½oz small button mushrooms
8 whole black peppercorns
2 sage leaves
2 sprigs tarragon
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
salt, to taste
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
200ml/7fl oz white wine, boiled for 30 seconds
150ml/5fl oz water
1 tbsp chopped parsley, to serve
seasonal vegetables, to serve
Preheat the oven to 120C/250F/Gas ½. In a large bowl, season the pieces of rabbit with salt and pepper, rub in the mustard until each piece of meat is coated by a thin film of mustard.
In a thick-bottomed, large casserole dish on a medium heat, melt a third of the butter and heat until lightly foaming. Fry the legs, shoulder pieces, belly, neck and head until coloured on each side, for 7-8 minutes. Be sure to do this over a medium heat and in a single layer and do not stir the rabbit. Let the pieces brown slowly. While the butter is browning the meat, the juices will leak out and caramelise the bottom of the pan to create a rich flavour for the sauce.
While the rabbit pieces are browning, in a separate small saucepan over a medium heat, heat the onion, garlic, mushrooms, peppercorns and herbs in a third of the butter for about 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Season after two minutes.
Add the vinegar to the rabbit pieces and cook until the liquor has reduced down to a syrup. Be sure to reach a syrup consistency, otherwise the sauce will be too acidic.
To the legs, shoulders, belly, neck and head, add the cooked onion, garlic, mushrooms, peppercorns and herbs, as well as the boiled wine and water.
Bring to a boil, cover and cook in the preheated oven for one hour, stirring occasionally.
While the casserole is in the oven, brown the rabbit saddle and rib cage pieces in the remaining butter. Use a heavy bottomed pan, over a medium heat, in the same way as before, then remove to a plate.
After the casserole has been in the oven for an hour, add the browned saddle and rib cage pieces and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
To serve, remove the meat from the dish and keep warm. Place the dish over a high heat and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by one-third.
Pour the sauce over the pieces of rabbit, sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve with French beans, Swiss chard, braised lettuce or any other seasonal vegetables.
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