White Wine Braised Rabbit with Garlic & Shallot
Usually something you see as a dinner special at a fancier restaurant, rabbit is not typical supper fare for most of us. A light-colored meat, rabbit does taste similar to chicken but with a deeper flavor. It’s also a protein on my to-cook bucket list. I found a local farm selling whole-butchered rabbits and for my first dish, cooked one up with plenty of garlic, parsley, and shallots. It was delicious and quite easy too. Download and print the recipe here or continue reading.
Julie G’s Wine Braised Rabbit with Garlic & Shallots
- 2-3 T salted butter
- extra virgin olive oil
- 3 large shallots, chopped
- small bunch parsley finely chopped (about 1/2 c.)
- 6 large cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 c. dry white wine
- 3/4 c. water or broth
- 1 rabbit cut into pieces
- salt
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and then chop the shallots, garlic, and parsley. Set them aside.
Next, tackle the rabbit. If your rabbit is whole, cut it into pieces by separating the front legs and back legs. Chop the back into 2-3 pieces and reserve ribs for making stock. Pat the rabbit pieces dry and sprinkle them with salt.
In a large Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on medium-high heat. Brown the rabbit pieces in the butter on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Add extra virgin olive oil or more butter if the pan becomes dry. When all pieces have a golden brown crust, remove and set them aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and add chopped shallots to the Dutch oven. Stir them until translucent, for about 5 minutes. Next add the garlic, frequently stirring for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the wine, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the parsley and water/broth, stirring to combine, and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and return the rabbit to the Dutch oven, nestling the pieces in the liquid. Place the cover on and cook in the oven for 45 minutes.
Feel free to substitute olive oil for butter and vice versa. Rabbit or chicken broth can be used in place of the water. When the rabbit is fully cooked, you can remove it and cover it while reducing the liquid further or add a roux for a thicker sauce. Plate with rice, or mashed potatoes, or serve with chunks of crusty bread to sop up all the juices.
