Saddle of Rabbit Roasted in Tobacco Leaf with a Subtle Garlic Sauce

Recipe courtesy of Executive Chef Nicolas Le Bec of Restaurant Les Loges in Lyon, France
Ingredients
Procedure
For 4 servings
4 T. olive oil
8 rabbit shoulders, bone-in
1 carrot, diced
1 white onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced
6 cloves garlic, cut in half
1 juniper berry
1 sprig thyme
1 piece rosemary
½ stick cinnamon
4 T. unsalted butter
6 shallots, sliced thinly
½ cup white wine
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ bunch tarragon, chopped
¾ pound chanterelle mushrooms, cut in half
4 rabbit loins, butterflied
4 leaves blond tobacco
To taste salt and ground black pepper

 

 

 

 
    Preparation time: 30 minutes
    Cooking time: 1 hour
    Ease of preparation: medium


     


  1. In a stockpot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat, sear the rabbit shoulders until they are a dark golden brown.

  2. Add the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic. Sweat vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes.

  3. Add the juniper berry, thyme, and rosemary, and cinamon. Add water to cover the ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

  4. In a saute pan with 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, add the shallots and sweat until they are translucent.

  5. Add the wine and reduce by one-half.

  6. Stir in the parsley and tarragon.

  7. Remove the rabbit shoulders from the stockpot. Remove the meat from the bone and chop fine.

  8. Strain the liquid in the stockpot through a fine sieve. Return sauce to stockpot.

  9. Simmer for 10 minutes and season with salt and
    black pepper.

  10. In a saute pan with 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, add the chanterelle mushrooms and saute until golden brown. Reserve warm on back of stovetop.

  11. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  12. In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped meat and shallot mixture to form the filling.

  13. Season the rabbit loins with salt and black pepper.
  14. Fill the center of the loins with the filling. Roll the loin into a log shape. Wrap a tobacco leaf around each rabbit. Tie the rabbit with butcher’s twine to keep its shape.
  15. Place rabbit onto a baking rack with a drip pan underneath. Roast in oven for 10-12 minutes or until internal temperature is 160 degrees F.

  16. Remove rabbit from oven. Letrest for 5 minutes. Remove tobacco leaves and slice.

  17. Serve with sauteed chanterelle mushrooms.
    18.