By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 2 hours 45 minutes
- Rating
- 5(184)
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- ¼cup all-purpose flour
- 2thyme sprigs
- 1rosemary sprig
- 1whole clove
- 12½-pound rabbit, cut into 8 pieces, rinsed and patted dry
- 1½teaspoons kosher salt
- 1½teaspoons ground black pepper
- ¼cup (4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
- 4large leeks, halved lengthwise, cleaned and thinly sliced crosswise
- 3tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1pound carrots, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch chunks
- 1celery stick, diced
- 3garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2teaspoons whole coriander seeds
- 1cup dry white wine
- About 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 to 2tablespoons Di jon mustard, to taste
- 2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Buttered noodles, for serving (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
967 calories; 35 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 81 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 72 grams protein; 1183 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place flour in a shallow bowl. Tie thyme, rosemary and clove in a spice sachet or square of cheesecloth (or just toss them in pot if you do not mind accidentally biting into clove later).
Step
2
Season rabbit pieces all over with salt and pepper. Coat each piece evenly with flour; tap off excess. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large oven-proof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear rabbit in batches, until browned all over, 5 to 6 minutes a side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Step
3
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pot; reduce heat to medium. Add leeks and 2 tablespoons sage and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, garlic, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to color, about 5 minutes.
Step
4
Add wine and increase heat to high; simmer, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Return rabbit to pot. Add stock (it should come almost halfway up the sides of rabbit) and herb sachet (or herbs and clove). Transfer pot to oven and cook, partially covered, until meat is fork tender, about 2 hours.
Step
5
Transfer rabbit pieces to a serving platter. If liquid seems too thin, place pot over medium-high heat and simmer until it thickens slightly. Discard sachet. Stir in mustard, to taste. Spoon sauce and vegetables over rabbit. Garnish with parsley and remaining 1 tablespoon chopped sage. Serve with noodles, if desired.
Ratings
5
out of 5
184
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Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Ian
As one guest put it, this was in the top 4 or 5 dishes I'd ever made, so I'll take that as high praise. The rabbit came out so tender at the 2 hour mark that the meat was just falling from the bone. The sauce had a nice thickness from the gelatin leaking from the bones.
Two thoughts:
1) Unless you are insanely fast, prep will take longer than 45 minutes.
2) We all had mixed feelings about the coriander seeds everywhere. Perhaps they should go in the bouquet garni as well?
Rick
The flavors were great, but cooking it for 1.75 hours "partially covered" thickened my sauce to a green paste. My guests, like Ian (the previous note writer), had mixed opinions about those loose coriander seeds.
I'm trying it again with some minor alterations.
Jen
First time cooking rabbit, glad I chose this magical recipe. I followed the advice of coriander in the bouquet rather than floating around the sauce. The store was annoyingly out of leeks, so I used knob onions, shallots, and extra celery. I cut down the searing time quite a bit as my rabbit was small. Had plenty of delicious sauce to coat my noodles - I thickened it with a bit of cornstarch.
Es
Delicious. I used a D'Artagnan rabbit. I needed to go out after I planned to put the rabbit in the oven so I turned the heat down to 300 (250 might have even been better)and covered the pan with parchment before putting on the lid (completely covered) and returned home 4 hours later to find the most delectable dish (what an aroma). I mixed the mustard with about another half cup of chicken stock to refresh and served over egg noodles.
Heather
Fabulous. Our bunny was larger, so bumped up most ingredients. Only took 90 mins in the oven. Took recommendation below to add coriander to the bouquet garni.For those who appreciate rabbit, do make the Tuscan Rabbit Ragu on this site - also delicious, but a different flavor profile and a bit more work.
anne
The temperature on rabbit shows 160 degrees I’m hoping mine cooks to the fork tender
Drew
Will definitely make it again. I solved the coriander problem by adding a teaspoon of ground coriander. My wife and I like whole leeks (our kids less so), so we reserved half of the leaks until the end, cut into 1" rounds and dropped them in 20 minutes near the end of simmering. Also added the mustard after we added the chicken broth so that the rabbit would braise in the mustard sauce.
Wiley
This was delicious! Added knob onions and mushrooms when the carrots went in, and crème fraîche with the mustard. Everyone loved it!
SimonePDX
With the liquid, this is a perfect recipe for the Instant Pot, also. It came out delicious.
Liz
A few years ago, I got curious about cooking rabbit and discovered four *fabulous* recipes. This is the simplest of the four (especially if you can find clean leeks) and the one I make the most often. I make it pretty much as written, with minor modifications:1. I use 4 hind legs (~ 8 oz each), rather than a whole rabbit.2. I use vermouth (or Madeira) instead of white wine3. I use 3 Tbsp mustard4. I put the coriander seeds in the sachet5. The noodles really add to it (I use papardelle)
Pam H
Substituted fennel pollen for coriander seed. Yum. Also added 2 tbsp. Cream fraiche at the end. Delicious. Plan on using this delicious base for other dishes. Beans and mushrooms?
Oregon
I didn't have an oven so I kept it on top of the stove with the veggies layered around the rabbit. Meat was falling off the bone tender. I should have added a better mustard and more of it at the end. I served it w rice. And next time I'd think about braising the meat solo and then adding the veggies back in towards the end . They seemed rather soggy and cooked to death. But definitely is a great way to make rabbit
Nick
Delicious. Only change was include mustard in the braise. Added mustard with carrots and celery in Step 3. The whole coriander seeds added a nice occasional crunch and burst of coriander flavor.
Ann
This is super tasty but a little homely-looking - not sure I'd serve it for a dinner party unless a casual gathering of close friends. If doing for a party I'd recommend one rabbit for every two people, so everyone can have a hind leg, the best part. That would leave you lots leftover though. If you're a slowpoke in the kitchen or your knife skills aren't great, do allow yourself PLENTY of extra time to prep - you could even do some of the veg prep and joint the rabbit the day before.
Margaret
Fantastic recipe! Forgot the celery but was delicious! Will be making this again.
Jeff
Did not have coriander or leeks. Used Vidalia onion instead and extra sage. Frankly I think the only have to spice is the clove which smelled amazing and tasted great. One thing I would do differently next time is a grainy Dijon Mustard.
Es
Delicious. I used a D'Artagnan rabbit. I needed to go out after I planned to put the rabbit in the oven so I turned the heat down to 300 (250 might have even been better)and covered the pan with parchment before putting on the lid (completely covered) and returned home 4 hours later to find the most delectable dish (what an aroma). I mixed the mustard with about another half cup of chicken stock to refresh and served over egg noodles.
Heather
Fabulous. Our bunny was larger, so bumped up most ingredients. Only took 90 mins in the oven. Took recommendation below to add coriander to the bouquet garni.For those who appreciate rabbit, do make the Tuscan Rabbit Ragu on this site - also delicious, but a different flavor profile and a bit more work.
Jen
First time cooking rabbit, glad I chose this magical recipe. I followed the advice of coriander in the bouquet rather than floating around the sauce. The store was annoyingly out of leeks, so I used knob onions, shallots, and extra celery. I cut down the searing time quite a bit as my rabbit was small. Had plenty of delicious sauce to coat my noodles - I thickened it with a bit of cornstarch.
Rick
The flavors were great, but cooking it for 1.75 hours "partially covered" thickened my sauce to a green paste. My guests, like Ian (the previous note writer), had mixed opinions about those loose coriander seeds.
I'm trying it again with some minor alterations.
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