Recipe: Hot Rabbit Rillettes

Often your poultry vendor cannot sell rabbit or hare fronts… this is an opportunity for you to make an excellent starter for less cost.

1- When you buy the fronts, ask to have them gutted, the head removed and split in half.

2- In a large saucepan, with a little butter/oil mixture, sweat without browning the sliced onion and carrot, the head of garlic cut in half lengthwise (without peeling it), a pinch of thyme flowers and two bay leaves.

3- Place the rabbit fronts and the head cut in half, add a glass of dry white wine and cover with cold water, then bring to a boil. Salt and pepper.

4- Cook for two hours over low heat, skimming from time to time, above all do not stir, as the small rib bones would mix into the broth.

5- After 2 hours, carefully remove (decant) your fronts with a slotted spoon onto a plate, strain the juice, put 30 cl back in a saucepan with the cream and let it reduce by a third.

6- Here comes the most technical part of the operation: with your fingers, when the rabbit is still hot or warm, shred the meat into a bowl being very careful that there are no small bones. When that is done, check again by working it with your clean fingers. Only then, put this meat in the reduced cream and bring to a boil again, then off the heat, add your mustard. Ve