During the winter holidays we see a wider range of stuff at the markets. That’s probably true everywhere, but, as I live in France, I only see our local offerings.
We can buy pre-packaged meat, like venison and wild boar, that is normally only available if one hunts or is on good terms with someone who hunts.
We can also buy ‘exotic’ meat, like ostrich, and we see more of traditional French choices like rabbit and pheasant that aren’t standard fare any longer.
I’m always tempted to break away from chicken and pork. Occasionally, I give in.
Click here to Pin Braised Rabbit in Red Wine
PrintBraised Rabbit in Red Wine
If you’ve never had rabbit – the meat is dark, like chicken thighs, and very moist and tender.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Game
Ingredients
- 1 whole, cut-up rabbit
- 3 medium leeks, trimmed, sliced, including light green
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bouquet garni
- 3 bay (laurel) leaves
- 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken broth
- 2 cups (16oz, 480ml) red wine
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) tomato sauce
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 3 tbs water
Instructions
- Heat oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven.
- Add the rabbit pieces and brown on both sides.
- Remove and set aside.
- Add leeks, garlic to pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir well, getting up any browned bits on the bottom. Return rabbit to pan, add all remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for an hour.
- When done, remove rabbit and cover to keep warm.
- Remove bay leaves and bouquet garni.
- Increase heat under sauce and slowly add cornstarch mixture, stirring until thickened and clear. You may not need all of it.
- Spoon some sauce over the rabbit and serve.
Notes
Usually, one buys a ‘whole’ rabbit, which is 4 legs and 2 back ‘saddles’, enough for 3 or 4 servings.
Add leftover rabbit and sauce to pasta for another meal.
We also like venison: Venison Braised in Red Wine
And red wine….
It used to be that, whenever rabbit was sold pre-packaged, it had to include the head. It wasn’t that French people necessarily cooked the head, although some probably did. The purpose was to prove that the parts being sold were, in fact, rabbit.
Food was scarce in France during the last war (WWII) and it wasn’t unheard of for cats to be sold as rabbit. The head was added to the package to prove that it wasn’t the neighbor’s cat.
That’s the story I’m told, anyway.
I was also told that squirrels and birds were scarce after the war, (but are now making a comeback,) because they were all eaten during the war.
I remember my parents talking about coffee or sugar being hard to get during those years, but never about not having enough food to eat. I know there was rationing, but I know very little about it.
Apparently I didn’t pay attention to that class in school.
Try rabbit!