Ragout Of Rabbit Forestiere Recipe
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups Chicken Stock
1 ounce dried cepes (dried wild mushrooms)
1/2 cup best quality olive oil
2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
3 large carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
2 rabbits, a total of 5 to 6 pounds, cut into serving pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
6 parsley sprigs
1/3 cup Calvados
1 pound fresh mushrooms
3 tablespoons sweet butter
5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
Directions
If rabbits are frozen, defrost them according to package directions.
Heat 3/4 cup of the chicken stock to boiling in a saucepan and pour it over the cepes in a small bowl.
Let stand for 2 hours.
Heat half of the olive oil in a large stewpot.
Add the onions and carrots and cook over medium heat, covered, until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes.
Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon, leaving as much cooking oil behind in the pot as possible, and set vegetables aside.
Set the stewpot over high heat.
Pat the rabbit pieces dry with paper towels and brown them in batches in the hot oil.
Turn the pieces frequently, and add additional oil if the pot seems dry.
Return all the rabbit pieces to the stewpot, sprinkle the rabbit with the sugar and continue to saute until evenly browned, another 5 minutes.
Turn the heat down and sprinkle rabbit with the flour and with salt and pepper to taste.
Continue turning rabbit pieces until the flour is lightly colored, another 5 minutes or so.
Add the red wine and stir and scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the pot.
Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cups chicken stock, the crushed tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves and parsley.
Warm the Calvados in a small pan and ignite it.
When the flame dies down, add Calvados to the stew.
Bring to a healthy simmer, cover, and reduce heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut stems from the fresh mushrooms and save them for another use.
Wipe mushroom caps with a damp paper towel and slice.
Carefully lift dried mushrooms from soaking liquid with a slotted spoon.
Chop them finely.
Let the liquid sit a few moments and then pour it carefully into the stewpot.
Melt the butter in a large skillet, add the fresh and dried mushrooms, and saute over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
Remove rabbit pieces from the stewpot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.
Discard the carrots, bay leaves and parsley and puree the sauce with a food processor or a food mill fitted with the fine disc.
Return pureed sauce and the rabbit pieces to the stewpot.
Add mushrooms and their liquid and the chopped garlic and set over medium heat.
Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and correct seasoning.
Heat 3/4 cup of the chicken stock to boiling in a saucepan and pour it over the cepes in a small bowl.
Let stand for 2 hours.
Heat half of the olive oil in a large stewpot.
Add the onions and carrots and cook over medium heat, covered, until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes.
Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon, leaving as much cooking oil behind in the pot as possible, and set vegetables aside.
Set the stewpot over high heat.
Pat the rabbit pieces dry with paper towels and brown them in batches in the hot oil.
Turn the pieces frequently, and add additional oil if the pot seems dry.
Return all the rabbit pieces to the stewpot, sprinkle the rabbit with the sugar and continue to saute until evenly browned, another 5 minutes.
Turn the heat down and sprinkle rabbit with the flour and with salt and pepper to taste.
Continue turning rabbit pieces until the flour is lightly colored, another 5 minutes or so.
Add the red wine and stir and scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the pot.
Stir in remaining 1 3/4 cups chicken stock, the crushed tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves and parsley.
Warm the Calvados in a small pan and ignite it.
When the flame dies down, add Calvados to the stew.
Bring to a healthy simmer, cover, and reduce heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut stems from the fresh mushrooms and save them for another use.
Wipe mushroom caps with a damp paper towel and slice.
Carefully lift dried mushrooms from soaking liquid with a slotted spoon.
Chop them finely.
Let the liquid sit a few moments and then pour it carefully into the stewpot.
Melt the butter in a large skillet, add the fresh and dried mushrooms, and saute over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
Remove rabbit pieces from the stewpot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.
Discard the carrots, bay leaves and parsley and puree the sauce with a food processor or a food mill fitted with the fine disc.
Return pureed sauce and the rabbit pieces to the stewpot.
Add mushrooms and their liquid and the chopped garlic and set over medium heat.
Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Taste and correct seasoning.
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