Creamy rabbit stew is about rich texture, mild flavors, but moreover, it is a nutritious meal. The stew is cooked to perfection in two steps. Enriched with heavy cream, white wine, mustard, and capers, the rabbit stew is a wonderfully rich juxtaposition.
The creamy stew recipe is perfect when served for cool evenings, served with a glass of chilled white wine. I think of it as a perfect recipe for a chill weekend dinner. Moreover, it is a company meal and you can serve it with noodles, rice or quinoa. Also, if you wanna take this recipe to another level, you may add some porcini mushrooms for a more earthy taste. Well, the idea is that this is a versatile recipe that you can adapt according to your own preferences and imagination.
How to cut a rabbit?
In case you bought a whole rabbit, there are a few simple steps to take and cut it correctly. If you don’t want to go through the cutting process, just ask the butcher to do the job for you. If you, however, don’t mind going through the process, make sure you have at least one sharp knife under your hand.
Place the rabbit on a large cutting board and start by removing the front legs. Just lift one leg at a time and cut around it, it should come off easily. Repeat the same procedure with the hind legs.
Now it is time to remove the belly and the rib cake. At this point cut the rib cage into 2, just alongside the spinal cord. Finally, remove the cut the saddle into 2 or 3 portions. Remove excess fat if there is any.
How to cook rabbit?
Rabbits are light and mild white meat. That is why it is highly appreciated and recommended meat for a healthy diet. The meat is similar in texture to turkey and chicken, but it has a longer cooking time. That is why our creamy rabbit stew is divided into two cooking steps. The first step is about cooking the rabbit to perfection while the second step is to enrich the taste and texture.
As soon as you have butchered the rabbit into small pieces, it is time to season the meat with salt and pepper. Leave the meat aside and heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Drizzle some olive oil and as soon as it is hot enough, add the rabbit meat to the hot pan. fry the meat for 5 minutes then turn sides and cook for another 5 minutes. It is a golden crust we are looking to get within 10 minutes of frying.
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While the meat is getting a beautiful cover, use the time to peel the onion and garlic and finely chop it. When appropriate, use kitchen tongs to remove it from the pan into a bowl. Transfer the chopped onion and garlic right into the pan with oil and grease from the rabbit pieces. Mix and add about 2 tablespoons of butter into the pan for it to melt and cook the onion and garlic until translucent. In about 2 minutes, pour in a cup of white wine and let it simmer for about 1 minute, about the time when the alcohol evaporates. Now put the rabbit chunks right back into the pan and pour warm water until it almost covers the meat. Set the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and let it simmer till cooked.
How long to cook the rabbit stew?
Cook the rabbit for 40 minutes under a lid. You can add a bit of water or broth during cooking to make sure it has the necessary liquid to cook to perfection. You know the meat is well cooked when it is tender. For that, the cooking time may vary depending on the age of the rabbit, and on how big or small pieces it has been cut into. You are done with the first cooking step of the creamy rabbit stew. What to do in the meantime? Maybe sip a glass of that bottle of white wine you have already opened, and cook the side dish or salad for this rabbit stew.
How to cook the creamy rabbit stew?
When the meat has become tender, it is time to add the extra taste and flavors. At this point pour in the heavy cream and mix for it to cover all the parts evenly. Next, add in the Dijon Mustard and the capers. As you can understand, the mix of the mild and sweet heavy cream with the acidic capers and mustard make that perfect balance in taste. As soon as you have added all the ingredients, turn the heat to low and let it simmer for about 2 minutes. In the meantime, chop some fresh parsley and sprinkle on top of the stew. It is t time to serve the deliciously creamy rabbit stew.
How to serve the creamy rabbit stew?
Serve the stew as soon as it is ready, accompanied maybe with rice, noodles, or polenta. Or, just pour a glass of chilled white wine and serve it with a loaf of fresh bread. No matter what your preferences are, make sure you enjoy every bite of it.
Creamy Rabbit Stew with Capers
Ingredients
- 1 whole rabbit
- 1 onion
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp pepper ground
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp capers canned
- 1 handfull chopped parsley
Instructions
- Cut the rabbit into pieces
- Season with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic
- Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat
- Sear the meat for 5 minutes on both sides then remove from the pan
- Peel and finely chop onion and garlic
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan, simmer with the butter until translucent
- Pour one cup with white wine, let simmer for 2 minutes or until the alcohol evaporates
- Transfer the meat back to the pan, pour the water and cover with lid
- Allow the content to simmer on medium-low for 40 minutes or until the meat is tender
- If necessary, to avoid the meat to stick to the pan, pour in some water during cooking
- When the meat is tender, take off the lid and pour in the heavy cream, and mix
- Add the capers and the dijon mustard and mix again
- Finely chop some fresh parsley and sprinkle on top of the creamy rabbit stew
- Serve with pleasure
