Recipe: Lapin a la moutarde (rabbit in mustard sauce)

Serves 4

This is one of my all-time favourite recipes. I discovered it in Paris at my cousin's dinner party and it's been a regular feature on my table ever since. Luckily, my local Turkish butcher sells rabbits and I get to partake in this dish with no advance planning required!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole rabbit, chopped into 8 pieces (discard the head)
• 2 large carrots, cubed
• 3 large potatoes, cubed
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
• 1 bunch tarragon, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed 
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup double cream (heavy cream)
• Butter, for browning
• Olive oil
• Salt 
• Pepper

First, you'll need to brown the rabbit in a generous amount of butter. After rinsing and drying off the rabbit pieces (removing the organs), brown both sides of each rabbit piece in a large pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do this in two batches. You can freeze the organs and use them later.

While you're browning the rabbit, dice the onion. In a pressure cooker (or large casserole dish), heat a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the onion until soft. Peel and cube the carrots and potatoes, adding them to the pot once the onions have softened (but not turned brown). Stir fry the vegetable mixture for a few minutes.

Once your rabbit is browned, add the rabbit pieces to the vegetable mixture. Then add one cup of water and one cup of double cream (also known as heavy cream). Add the crushed garlic, minced tarragon, and the mustards. Last, add salt and pepper to taste (about a tablespoon of salt for me). Mix well, and put the lid on the pressure cooker, turning the heat to high. Once the cooker has reached pressure, cook for 25 minutes on low heat.

If you don't own a pressure cooker, you can instead simmer the dish on low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. But given the time difference, I recommend you get a pressure cooker!