3105. RABBIT FRICASSEE with PEARL ONIONS, BACON and MUSHROOMS

serves 4-6 


1 pint pearl onions or 1 package (10 ounces) frozen
½ pound or 1 package (10 ounces) small mushrooms, preferably cremini
2 rabbits, cut into serving pieces
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
½ pound thickly sliced lean bacon
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth, homemade or packaged (not canned)
1 small bouquet garni (3 sprigs parsley, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf wrapped and tied in cheesecloth)

Peel the onions by first plunging them into a pot of boiling water, boiling for 1 minute, draining in a colander, rinsing with cold water, and then cutting the tiny root ends off with a paring knife and pulling away the peel.

Trim 1/8-inch off the bottom of the mushroom stems if they are dark, dirty or dried out. If the mushroom caps are more than 1 inch in diameter, quarter the mushrooms vertically.

Season the rabbit parts with salt and pepper, and melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet, or two skillets just large enough to hold the rabbit parts in a single layer. When the butter stops foaming, add the rabbit parts and brown on both sides for 8 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the rabbit and cook for 2 minutes more on each side to eliminate the flour's starchy taste.

While the rabbit parts are browning, cut the bacon slices crosswise into ¼-inch strips and cook the strips gently over medium heat in a small skillet until they barely begin to turn crispy. Remove them with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Pour the wine and chicken broth over the rabbit parts, nestle in the bouquet garni, and add the pearl onions and mushrooms. If you're using two skillets, use half the liquids, onions and mushrooms in each one and nestle a small bouquet garni in each. Bring to a simmer over high heat, turn the heat down to low to maintain a very gentle simmer, and cover. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the rabbit feels firm to the touch.

Transfer the rabbit parts, onions and mushrooms to a bowl and cover them loosely with aluminum foil. Pour the the liquid in the skillet into a small saucepan and gently simmer the sauce, while skimming off fat and scum, for about 10 minutes, until the sauce has a lightly syrupy consistency.

Portion out the rabbit parts on to plates, spoon each portion with sauce, mushrooms and pearl onions, and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gene Gerrard, Meat & Wild Game Cooking/About.com

1641. ESCARGOT FRICASSEE with MUSHROOMS, BRUSSEL SPROUTS and CANDIED BACON JAM

yields two servings


14 snails, cleaned, purged, fully cooked
1/8 lb butter, unsalted
1 cup Brussels sprouts, leaves only
1 cup chanterelles, cleaned and quartered
6 cipollini onions, quartered and peeled
½ lemon
salt, pepper, cayenne or espelette pepper

For Bacon Jam:
1 cup bacon, cut into 2” X 1” X 1/2” pieces
¼ cup yellow onions, julienned
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
3 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

For Parsley Puree:
2 bunches fresh parsley
1 tablespoon walnut oil
1 tablespoon orange oil
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

For Bacon Jam: Render bacon in a heavy sauté pan in hot 500-degree F oven until bacon is crispy. Pull from oven and remove bacon. Cook julienned onions in the remaining bacon fat, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan until onions are dark golden. Add brown sugar and stir to coat. Add a third of the chicken stock and place pan back in the oven to simmer. Reduce mixture until thick, almost au sec (approx 5-15 minutes). Watch carefully that it doesn’t burn. Add half of the remaining stock and reduce again until thick. Add all of the remaining stock and remove pan from the oven. Season with salt, pepper, and espelette to taste. Pour contents into a blender and puree until fairly smooth. Pour contents back into sauté pan and stir in honey to combine. Put pan back into oven and cook stirring frequently until deep brick red color is reached. Re-season and mount with butter. Allow to cool to warm temperature. Reserve.

For Parsley Puree: Blanch, shock, and drain parsley with stems in tact. Puree in blender with oils and a pinch of salt until smooth. Reserve.

For Snails: Melt butter in sauté pan. Add cipollini onions and cook in 500-degree F oven until golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Add chanterelles to pan and place back in oven. Cook until caramelized. Add Brussels sprout leaves and cook for 1 minute. Add snails and cook until heated through. Season and add juice and zest of ½ a lemon. Add a few splashed of cold water to emulsify sauce. Reserve.

To Serve: Spoon a tablespoon of bacon jam onto the plate. Using spoon, stretch the jam to make an elongated shape. Drain fricassee on towels and spoon onto plate slightly overlapping bacon jam. Sprinkle lightly with espelette. Drizzle a small spoonful of parsley puree in front of both components.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Chef Kevin Gillespie, Quickfire Challenge Winner, Top Chef, Season 6, Episode 4