Rabbit With Tarragon and Garlic

Ingredients

For the rabbit:

• 1 rabbit, cut into eight pieces
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup tarragon-flavored white vinegar
• 4 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 8 large sprigs fresh tarragon
• 1 ½ cups creme fraiche

For the garlic:

• 16 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    868 calories; 49 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 10 grams sugars; 85 grams protein; 289 milligrams cholesterol; 239 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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4 servings

Preparation

1. Salt and pepper the rabbit generously. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the rabbit. When it starts to brown, add the butter, lower the heat and brown on all sides for 10 minutes, shaking the pan often to avoid sticking. With a slotted spoon, remove the rabbit from the pan and reserve.
2. Pour all the fat from the pan and pat it dry with a paper towel. Add the tarragon vinegar, stirring to detach any fond stuck to the bottom of the pan, and place over high heat. Boil the vinegar for about 30 seconds, or until it has almost completely evaporated, then add the tomatoes and the bunch of tarragon stems (reserve the leaves for later), and cook slowly for four minutes. Add the cream, salt and pepper; then add the rabbit, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the cloves of garlic in a small saucepan, add the milk, and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for four minutes and drain.
4. Heat the butter in a small frying pan, add the garlic, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook over very low heat 15 minutes, stirring often, to color and caramelize the garlic on all sides without burning.
5. Lift the pieces of rabbit out of the sauce with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate. Measure the sauce; if there is more than one-and-two-thirds cups, boil it to reduce to that amount, then strain it into a clean frying pan. Correct seasoning and heat the rabbit in the sauce.
6. Place the rabbit on a serving platter, spoon the sauce over it and sprinkle with the freshly chopped tarragon. Place the caramelized cloves of garlic around the rabbit and serve.

• This recipe is adapted from “The Three-Star Recipes of Alain Senderens” (Quill, an imprint of William Morrow), $9.95.

45 minutes