Braised Rabbit with Tarragon Cream Sauce

[kirra]

Braised Rabbit with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

Cream Sauce:

2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 cup leeks, white part only, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup white wine
1/3 cup concentrated chicken stock
3 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
2 tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon rosemary; chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Rabbit:

2 rabbits, cut into quarters
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups cooked wild rice
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into large chunks
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup pearl onions or onion wedges
1 cup celery, sliced 1/2 inch thick

Preparation:

For the cream sauce, saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until golden. Add the garlic, leek and red onion, and saute until the vegetables are translucent. Add the white wine and chicken stock and simmer for about five minutes to bring out the mushroom and vegetable flavors. Add the cream, herbs and salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Salt and pepper the cut pieces of rabbit and saute in a heavy-bottomed braising pan or Dutch oven in olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter until browned on all sides.

Top with the cooked wild rice, carrots, sweet potatoes, celery, onion and tarragon cream sauce. Cover and bake for one hour.