Ingredients
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2 full, cleaned Rabbit
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4 cups Half & Halfcan substitute with milk
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1 cup White Wine
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3 tablespoons Butter
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1 head Garlic
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16 oz Sour Cream
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1 cup Chicken Stockcan substitute with beef/vegetable stock
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1 teaspoon Dried Herbs Blendcan use fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme
My Two Cents
This braised rabbit in wine cream recipe is so easy and will WOW your guests. This elegant dish is still one of the traditional items you will find on the menu of cafes in Paris, France. The reason for this long-lasting love is simple – the taste of rabbit braised in white wine is one of the most delicate and flavorful meats you will ever try!
Rabbit is a very underestimated protein here in the United States. In fact, the only place I ever saw it on a menu was a French restaurant. This is a very unfair representation, as rabbit meat in fact is one of the most nutritious and full of group B vitamin meats, it is also richer in Omega 3 element than pork or chicken.
I decided to fix this and make the rabbit a star dish on my Christmas table and all of my guests were gushing about it, asking me to post the recipe so they can cook it for themselves. So here it is, my famous Braised Rabbit in Garlic and Wine Cream Sauce recipe. Enjoy!
Directions
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1
Done
6 hours or overnight
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MARINATE RABBITRabbit meat is not an easy treasure to find in regular stores, so my first hint would be to check out farmer's markets or.. an Asian supermarket! Usually, rabbits would be sold cleaned and frozen, so you need to plan ahead and let them thaw in your fridge for a day. Keep frozen rabbit in a deep dish to prevent leaking all over your fridge (talking from my own experience here!). When a rabbit is soft, place it in a deep dish or a cooking pot and pour in half & half or milk, so it is completely covered. I use a heavy lid to press it down and make sure it stays under and marinate. Put it back in your fridge and let it stay there for at least 6 hours or overnight. This is a very old trick for any gamey type of meat to get rid of its strong smell and soften the meat`s muscle so it will be extra tender when cooked. You can use anything from Milk to Heavy cream mixed with water, but I find half & half to work best. |
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2
Done
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BUTCHER RABBIT`S FILLETSIt sounds harder than it is, trust me! If you ever butchered whole chicken, you will have no problem with this one. We will simply cut rabbit like on above pictures: legs, 2 pieces of the body, then cut out both of the front legs, leaving neck aside, we will not use it. The back legs will be cut into 2 pieces, so we will have 6 pieces total. |
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3
Done
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SEAR RABBITIn the same pot or a mixing bowl coat rabbit with crushed garlic ( save 3 cloves for later) and dried herbs. Use a thick and deep frying pan or pot, add 3 tablespoons of butter and melt over high heat. Add rabbit pieces and sear for 10 minutes on each side or until the meat gets nice gold color. Add 1 cup of while wine ( I used dry) and keep the heat on maximum until most of the wine evaporates. Add 1 cup of chicken or beef stock and simmer it down as well. |
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4
Done
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MAKE THE SAUCETake the rabbit out of the pan and set it aside. Add your sour cream into a pan, add the rest of the garlic ( I grate it but you can also chop or crush it), and mix sauce well. Add salt to taste. |
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5
Done
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STEW THE RABBIT IN THE SAUCEReturn rabbit pieces to the pot with your cream, coat evenly, and simmer for 20 minutes. That`s it! You Braised Rabbit in Wine Cream Sauce is done! |
