This one is easier than it looks or sounds.
It’s a simple, elegant, classic French country dish – Rabbit Legs in Mustard Sauce, or Lapin à la Moutarde accompanied by Pommes Purée and Haricots verts. That’s mashed potatoes and green beans, but it sounds so much fancier and impressively complicated when you use the French words.
This is a great one to impress your friends and family without killing yourself in the kitchen.
This came out perfectly moist and juicy, and full of flavor, and the mustard sauce was excellent. I went with legs because they are more meaty and juicy with the least amount of bones.
I landed on rabbit after watching Episode 11 (“Down the Rabbit Hole”) of Top Chef Season 23 (Carolinas). In that episode, the “cheftestants” faced a strict rabbit-focused Elimination Challenge evaluated by judges Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and Kristen Kish.
As is typical for me, when I saw that I thought, “I want to make rabbit!” These poor chefs had to break down whole rabbits. I didn’t want to go that far. That’s another reason to go with legs.
I got mine at Wild Fork Foods. I love them because they have high quality products at some of the best prices, and they have lots of exotic stuff that is hard to find anywhere else. They have brick & mortar stores in 11 U.S. states. They will delivery locally, but they do not ship. If you need a good online source for shipping, D’Artagnan is an excellent choice. Or, try your local butcher if you have one.
Best trick: Dry brine the rabbit
You need to plan a couple of days in advance for this one. First, the rabbit needs 24 hours to defrost in the refrigerator. Second, dry brining for 24 hours amps up the flavor and automatically makes you a better cook that “knows stuff”.
Dry brining is when you generously salt the rabbit on all sides (after it’s defrosted), and then put it on a wire rack set into a tray, uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.
Rabbit Legs in Mustard Sauce (Lapin à la Moutarde)
Ingredients
Rabbit
- 4 rabbit hind legs about 2 to 2.5 pounds total
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Braise
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 large shallots finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup dry white wine Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Muscadet, or similar
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Mustard Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 to 5 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar optional, to taste
- Cornstarch slurry as needed for thickening
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Pommes Purée
- 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and quartered
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt for the cooking water
- ½ cup whole milk warmed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cubed
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- Pinch white pepper
Haricots Verts
- 12 ounces haricots verts trimmed
- Kosher salt for the blanching water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small shallot minced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dry brine the rabbit: Pat the rabbit legs dry. Season evenly with the kosher salt and black pepper. Place uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours, or plan ahead and brine for 24 hours. This step immensely improves flavor and moisture retention.
- Brown the rabbit: Remove the rabbit from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. Brown the rabbit legs lightly on all sides. You're looking for a light golden color, not a deep brown crust. Transfer the rabbit to a plate.
- Build the braise: Reduce the heat slightly. Add the shallots and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the wine, scraping up any fond, and reduce by about half, 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Return the rabbit legs to the pot — the liquid should come about halfway up the legs.
- Braise: Cover and place in the oven. Cook for approximately 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, beginning to check around 75 minutes. The rabbit is done when a knife slides in easily, the meat is tender, and it is just beginning to loosen from the bone. Avoid cooking until it completely falls apart.
- Make the pommes purée: While the rabbit braises, cover the potatoes with cold water in a pot, add the salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer until fork-tender, 15-20 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot over low heat for a minute to dry out. Pass through a ricer or food mill back into the pot. Set over low heat and stir in the warm milk, then the cold butter a few cubes at a time, until smooth and glossy. Season with salt and a pinch of white pepper. Keep warm, pressing plastic wrap directly on the surface if holding. (The plastic wrap on the surface of the potatoes keeps a crust from forming.)
- Blanch the haricots verts: Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Blanch the haricots verts for 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender and bright green. Shock in ice water, then drain well. Set aside until ready to finish.
- Finish the sauce: Transfer the rabbit legs to a warm platter and tent loosely with foil. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaf. Bring the braising liquid to a gentle simmer and reduce until slightly thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Whisk in the Dijon and whole-grain mustard and simmer 1 minute. Whisk in the cream. If too watery, add a little cornstarch slurry. Taste for seasoning, adding salt if needed, and lemon juice or vinegar if the sauce needs brightness. The finished sauce should be silky, mustard-forward, and lightly coating.
- Finish the haricots verts: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook 1 minute. Add the blanched haricots verts and toss until warmed through, 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve: Place a mound of pommes purée on each plate. Arrange the haricots verts alongside. Lean rabbit leg against the potatoes. Spoon the mustard sauce generously over the rabbit and a little onto the potatoes. Finish with the chopped parsley.
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