Civet de Lapin

Civet de Lapin (French Rabbit Stew)

A classic French braised rabbit stew slow-cooked in red wine with bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions — the dark, glossy 'civet' finish comes from a flour-thickened roux and the rabbit's own blood, traditional in the original country-style recipe.

Prep

30 min

Cook

150 min

Total

180 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1.5 kg (3¼ lb) whole rabbit, cut into pieces, ask butcher to portion; liver and heart reserved
• •200 g (7 oz) thick-cut smoked lardons (bacon), or pork belly cubes
• •250 g (8 oz) pearl onions, or small shallots, peeled
• •250 g (8 oz) cremini or button mushrooms, quartered if large
• •4 cloves garlic, crushed
• •1 large carrot, diced (about 120 g)
• •30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
• •30 g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour, for the roux and to dredge rabbit
• •750 ml (3 cups) dry red wine, Burgundy, Côtes du Rhône, or other full-bodied French red; do not use cooking wine
• •250 ml (1 cup) beef or rabbit stock, low-sodium
• •1 bouquet bouquet garni, 2 bay leaves, 4 sprigs thyme, 6 parsley stems tied in cheesecloth
• •8 whole black peppercorns
• •1 tbsp olive oil
• •15 g (¼ cup) flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for finishing
• •1 tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice, to finish
• •1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps

1. 1 Pat the rabbit pieces very dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each piece in about 1 tbsp of the flour, shaking off excess.
2. 2 Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and half the butter in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the rabbit pieces on all sides, 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; do not crowd the pan.
3. 3 Lower the heat to medium. Add the lardons and render until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the plate with the rabbit, leaving the fat in the pot.
4. 4 Add the pearl onions and carrot to the pot; cook, stirring, until the onions are lightly caramelized, 6–8 minutes. Add the garlic and peppercorns and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
5. 5 Push the vegetables to the side. Melt the remaining butter in the cleared space and sprinkle in the remaining flour. Stir constantly for 2–3 minutes to form a dark roux (it should look like melted chocolate).
6. 6 Pour in the red wine while scraping up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce by about one-third, 5–7 minutes.
7. 7 Add the stock and bouquet garni. Return the rabbit and lardons to the pot along with any juices. The liquid should just cover the meat; add a splash more stock or water if needed.
8. 8 Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook at a bare simmer for 90 minutes, turning the rabbit once or twice. The rabbit is safely cooked when the meat pulls easily from the bone and an instant-read thermometer reads at least 74°C / 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
9. 9 While the stew simmers, sauté the mushrooms in a dry hot skillet over high heat until deeply browned, 4–5 minutes. Set aside.
10. 10 After 90 minutes, add the reserved rabbit liver and heart, the sautéed mushrooms, and the pearl onions. Simmer uncovered for 15 more minutes to thicken the sauce to a silky, nappé consistency (it should coat the back of a spoon).
11. 11 Remove the bouquet garni and liver (mash the cooked liver into the sauce if you want the traditional thicker finish). Stir in the vinegar and taste for salt and pepper.
12. 12 Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately in shallow bowls with boiled potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or crusty bread.