Rabbit in White Wine
By corlear
Lapin du Vertempière au Vin Blanc
Vertempière is the name of the part of Chagny where the rabbits used by Mme de Villaine are raised.
In Burgundy the wine used might be a Bourgogne Aligoté or Bourgogne Blanc, but a Chardonnay from elsewhere could be substituted (but don’t tell the Burgundians).
- 6
Ingredients
- bouquet garni:
- 1 large rabbit, jointed
- olive or other vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion
- 1-2 carrots
- 2 large tomatoes, peeled
- 1 1/2 - 2 oz plain flour
- ¼ bottle dry white wine
- warm water
- 2 cloves garlic
- fresh tarragon or basil
- salt
- white pepper
- 12 oz button mushrooms, optional
- bay leaf
- sprigs of parsley
- thyme
Preparation
Step 1
Brown the pieces of rabbit in a sauté pan in olive or other vegetable oil. While they are browning, peel and chop the onion, carrots and peeled tomatoes into small dice (mirepoix).
Add them to the rabbit and let them soften. Sprinkle the flour over the meat to act as a thickener for the sauce. Once the meat is well coated by the flour, add the dry white wine, stirring and deglazing the bottom of the pan. If the pieces of rabbit are not covered, add a little warm water.
As the liquid begins to simmer, add the crushed garlic cloves, bouquet garni, some of the sprigs of either tarragon or basil, salt, arid white pepper. Cover and simmer gently for about 45 minutes stirring occasionally.
If you are using them, wipe the mushrooms clean (leave them whole unless they are big) and add them to the pan for the last 10 to 15 minutes.
Lift the pieces of rabbit onto a serving dish. Check the sauce for seasoning. Remove the garlic and bouquet garni and pour over the rabbit. Chop some more fresh tarragon or basil and sprinkle over the top before serving.