Fricassee du Lapin et Ecrevisse

Fricassee:

• 3 lbs. jackrabbit, cleaned and cut into serving pieces (available at local grocery stores)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups fresh, small mushrooms
• 1 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup half-and-half

Sauce Americaine:

• About 30 crayfish
• 7 ounces tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbsp. tarragon, chopped
• 2 ounces chervil, chopped
• 2 tbsp. shallots, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup cognac
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• Salt and Pepper

To prepare:
Wash and dry the rabbit pieces, season with salt and pepper, nutmeg and paprika. Brown the rabbit in hot oil over high heat in a large Dutch oven. Remove the rabbit when well browned. Add more oil if necessary and quickly sauté the reserved crayfish tails, being careful not to over-cook; remove from pan. Reduce heat to medium, add flour and cook until lightly browned, stirring constantly. Whisk in wine and water until smooth. Return the rabbit to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 50 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the Sauce Americaine by first cleaning crayfish; separate the tail meat from the shells and bodies. Place the tail meat in the refrigerator and reserve the shells. In a saucepan, heat one-fourth cup of butter and oil; add crayfish shells and bodies; crush with a spoon and cook for about five minutes. Season with pepper and add shallot, cognac, wine and tomatoes; simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Strain sauce through cheesecloth.  Gradually whisk in the rest of the butter and add tarragon and cream. Remove the rabbit from Dutch oven and keep warm under foil. Strain and de-fat the broth and marry with equal parts of the Sauce Americaine, adjusting proportions to taste.

Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add onion and cook until lightly browned. Add crayfish meat and warm through. Add mushrooms, sage and parsley. Add rabbit and broth and cook over gentle heat until all is thoroughly warm. Do not boil. Serve over noodles.

---

For more Reader Recipes, be sure to pick up this month's copy of Style-Folsom El Dorado Hills edition. Click on the "Get Your Copy" link on the bottom of this page for some of our newsstand locations. Or, to order a copy of this issue, please email  [email protected], or call 916-988-9888.