Rabbit in Mustard Sauce

Ingredients

• 1  rabbit cut into serving pieces (see how to cut up a rabbit)
• 4 servings salt 
• 4 tablespoons butter 
• 2 large shallots chopped
• 0.5 cup white wine 
• 0.5 cup water 
• 0.5 cup grainy country mustard 
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves dried
• 0.5 cup heavy cream 
• 4 tablespoons parsley finely chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• wooden spoon

Directions

1. Sprinkle rabbit pieces with salt: Salt your rabbit pieces well and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Heat the butter over medium heat in a large sauté pan with a lid. Pat the rabbit pieces dry and brown them in the butter. Do this at a moderate pace – you don’t want the butter to scorch – and don’t let the rabbit pieces touch each other. Do it in batches if you need to.
3. Once the rabbit is browned, remove it to a bowl.
4. Add the shallots and brown them well. This will take 3-4 minutes.
5. Pour in the white wine and turn the heat to high. Scrape off any browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
6. Add the mustard, thyme and water and bring to a rolling boil. Taste the sauce for salt and add some if needed.
7. Coat rabbit with sauce, cover and simmer:
8. Add the rabbit pieces, coat them with the sauce, then drop the heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes. You want the meat to be nearly falling off the bone. It might need more time, but should not need more than an hour total. Wild rabbits sometimes need more time.
9. When the meat is ready, gently remove it to a platter.
10. Reduce the sauce, add cream and parsley: Turn the heat to high and boil the sauce down by half. Turn off the heat and add the cream and parsley. Stir the sauce to combine.
11. Serve: Return the rabbit to the pan. Coat with the sauce and serve at once.
12. Serve this dish with crusty bread and a big white wine, such as a white Bordeaux, white Cotes du Rhone blend or a buttery California Chardonnay. If you prefer beer, try pairing this with an unfiltered wheat beer.