Traditional Rabbit Stew

Ingredients

• 2 piece Farm rabbit thighs (preferably free-range)
• 150 g Smoked bacon (cut into lardons)
• 2 piece Carrots (peeled and sliced into thin rounds)
• 2 clove Garlic cloves (cut into quarters)
• 1 piece Red onion (coarsely chopped)
• 50 cl Red wine (Gamèt or other fruity cooking wine)
• 1 tsp Flour (to thicken the sauce)
• 2 square 70% dark chocolate (for finishing the sauce)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 sprig Rosemary
• 1 sprig Thyme
• 1 leaf Bay leaf
• 1 tbsp Calvados (or cognac) (optional, adds a fruity note)
• to taste Coarse salt
• to taste Freshly ground pepper
• 400 g Floury potatoes (peeled and cut into large cubes)
• 1 piece Fresh egg yolk
• 50 g Unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 250 ml Whole milk (heated)
• to taste Fleur de sel
• a few sprigs Chives (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Ingredient preparation

   Peel and slice the carrots into thin rounds, coarsely chop the red onion, cut the garlic into quarters, prepare the rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Measure the wine, butter, milk and flour.

   Time: PT10M

2. Browning the bacon

   Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in the pan over medium‑high heat, add the smoked bacon cut into lardons and brown until it renders its fat.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: moyen‑élevé

3. Set aside the bacon

   Remove the lardons with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate, keeping the rendered fat in the pan.

   Time: PT1M

4. Browning the rabbit thighs

   In the same pan, brown the two rabbit thighs on each side for about 7 minutes until a nice color develops.

   Time: PT7M

   Temperature: moyen‑élevé

5. Set aside the rabbit

   Remove the rabbit thighs and place them with the bacon on the plate.

   Time: PT1M

6. Sauté onion and garlic

   Sauté the chopped onion and garlic cloves in the pan until they become translucent, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: moyen

7. Add carrots and flour

   Add the carrot rounds, sprinkle the teaspoon of flour and stir for 3 minutes to coat the vegetables.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: moyen

8. Deglaze with red wine

   Pour the red wine into the pan, bring to a boil while scraping the fond, then season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: moyen‑élevé

9. Simmer the rabbit

   Return the rabbit thighs and bacon to the pan, add the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and, if desired, the calvados. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.

   Time: PT1H

   Temperature: basse

10. Cooking the potatoes

    Place the potatoes in a pot of cold salted water, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes until tender.

    Time: PT20M

    Temperature: ébullition

11. Drain and mash

    Drain the potatoes and mash them with a fork or potato masher.

    Time: PT2M

12. Incorporate the butter

    Add the unsalted butter in pieces and stir until fully melted.

    Time: PT2M

    Temperature: moyen

13. Add the egg yolk

    Quickly stir in the fresh egg yolk to prevent it from curdling.

    Time: PT1M

14. Finish the mash with hot milk

    Gradually pour the previously heated whole milk, stirring, until the desired consistency is reached.

    Time: PT3M

    Temperature: chaud

15. Season the mash

    Season with salt, pepper and add a pinch of fleur de sel to taste.

    Time: PT1M

16. Finish the chocolate sauce

    Remove the lid from the stew, add the two squares of dark chocolate and let melt gently for 2 minutes while stirring.

    Time: PT2M

    Temperature: basse

17. Plating

    Place a portion of mash on each plate, set a rabbit thigh on top, generously drizzle with chocolate sauce, garnish with a sprig of thyme and chopped chives. Add a knob of butter on the mash if desired.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

650

Protein

35 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Farm rabbit thighs: Hare thigh, Farm chicken thigh
• Instead of Smoked bacon: Pancetta, Smoked turkey bacon
• Instead of Carrots: Parsnips, Zucchini
• Instead of Red onion: Shallot
• Instead of Red wine: Dry white wine, Chicken broth
• Instead of Flour: Cornstarch (maïzena)
• Instead of 70% dark chocolate: Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Instead of Olive oil: Canola oil
• Instead of Rosemary: Thyme
• Instead of Thyme: Rosemary
• Instead of Calvados (or cognac): Cognac, Brandy
• Instead of Floury potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes
• Instead of Fresh egg yolk: Pasteurized egg yolk
• Instead of Unsalted butter: Margarine
• Instead of Whole milk: Reduced-fat milk, Almond milk
• Instead of Chives: Flat-leaf parsley

Equipment Needed

• Large frying pan
• Medium saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Colander
• Fork or potato masher
• Measuring cup or jug
• Measuring spoons
• Ladle (optional)
• Serving plate

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Brown the bacon to render the fat.
• Achieve a nice coloration on the rabbit.
• Simmer the rabbit for at least 1 hour to tenderize the meat.
• Melt the dark chocolate into the sauce for the final texture.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Choose a high‑quality farm rabbit for more flavorful meat.
• Brown each piece of meat separately to avoid steaming and achieve better coloration.
• A fruity red wine (e.g., Gamèt) adds acidity that balances the richness of the bacon and chocolate.
• Dark chocolate adds umami depth; do not exceed two squares so as not to mask the rabbit's flavor.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the stew and mash separately in airtight containers, up to 2 days.

Freezer: The stew freezes well up to 3 months; the mash can be frozen for 1 month.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The stew can be prepared the day before and gently reheated over low heat.
• The mash keeps for 24 h in the refrigerator; reheat with a splash of hot milk.
• The chocolate can be added just before serving for a glossy sauce.