Although this recipe isn't a true bourguignon, per se, since white wine is used instead of red, it has all the flavors of that classic French recipe.
Rabbit is especially good for a fricassee since it cooks quickly. The bacon adds not only flavor but also fat, which keeps the lean rabbit juicy.
Ingredients
-
1 pint pearl onions, or 1 (10-ounce) frozen package
-
1/2 pound small mushrooms (such as cremini)
-
2 rabbits, cut into serving pieces
-
Salt, to taste
-
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
2 tablespoons flour
-
1/2 pound thick-slice lean bacon
-
2 cups dry white wine
-
1 cup packaged or homemade chicken broth (not canned)
-
3 springs fresh parsley
-
2 sprigs fresh thyme
-
1 bay leaf
-
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Steps to Make It
-
Peel the onions by first plunging them into a pot of boiling water, boiling for 1 minute, draining in a colander, rinsing with cold water, and then cutting the tiny root ends off with a paring knife and pulling away from the peel.
-
Trim 1/8 inch off the bottom of the mushroom stems if they are dark, dirty or dried out. If the mushroom caps are more than 1 inch in diameter, quarter the mushrooms vertically.
-
Season the rabbit parts with salt and pepper, and melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet, or two skillets just large enough to hold the rabbit parts in a single layer. When the butter stops foaming, add the rabbit parts and brown on both sides for 8 minutes.
-
Sprinkle the flour over the rabbit and cook for 2 minutes more on each side to eliminate the flour's starchy taste.
-
While the rabbit parts are browning, cut the bacon slices crosswise into 1/4-inch strips and cook the strips gently over medium heat in a small skillet until they barely begin to turn crispy. Remove them with a slotted spoon and reserve.
-
Tie the parsley, thyme and bay leaf together in a piece of cheesecloth.
-
Pour the wine and chicken broth over the rabbit parts, and deglaze the skillet with a wooden spoon. Add the wrapped herbs, pearl onions, and mushrooms, and move them around a bit, so they're evenly arranged between the rabbit.
-
If you're using 2 skillets, use half the liquids, onions and mushrooms in each one and nestle half of the wrapped herbs (meaning, you'll need to wrap up 2 parcels in cheesecloth).
-
Bring the fricassee to a simmer over high heat, then turn the heat down to low to maintain a very gentle simmer. Simmer covered for about 15 minutes, until the rabbit feels firm to the touch.
-
Transfer the rabbit, onions, and mushrooms to a bowl and cover them loosely with aluminum foil. Pour the liquid in the skillet into a small saucepan and gently simmer the sauce, while skimming off fat and scum, for about 10 minutes, until the sauce has a slightly syrupy consistency.
-
Portion out the rabbit parts onto plates, spoon each portion with sauce, mushrooms and pearl onions. Sprinkle parsley over each portion and serve at once.
(Adapted from "Glorious French Food" by James Peterson, © 2002 James Peterson, John Wiley & Son Publisher.)
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
415 | Calories |
21g | Fat |
14g | Carbs |
28g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 4 to 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 415 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 21g | 27% |
Saturated Fat 8g | 40% |
Cholesterol 85mg | 28% |
Sodium 913mg | 40% |
Total Carbohydrate 14g | 5% |
Dietary Fiber 2g | 7% |
Total Sugars 5g | |
Protein 28g | |
Vitamin C 11mg | 55% |
Calcium 47mg | 4% |
Iron 3mg | 16% |
Potassium 648mg | 14% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |