Since the fresh beans have been in the market, I’ve been wanting to make a cassoulet of something! Duck always comes up because we eat duck a lot when in France. This time I wanted to give the humble rabbit a chance to shine and it did!
There is a new stall in the market right next to Jean Louis, the duck man. The lady is there every market day and sells fresh herbs and mushrooms. Really nice products. I love her. She has a difficult time with my accent but tries hard not to make a frowny face 😀
The wonderful thing about having access to a well stocked fresh herb stall is that you can make your own bouquet garnis by tying assorted branches of herbs together with string. I was pleased! Made me feel like a country girl 🙂 For the cassoulet, I chose rosemary, thyme and bay leaf.
The problem with buying a rabbit at the supermarket is that the butchers who package them are deceptive. When you go to the stalls in the market, the rabbits are honestly laid out before you with the head on so that you know that the head comes with and therefore you have to tell them to de-head it before packaging, which they are happy to do. Not so with those supermarket guys! They cleverly hide the head underneath the more attractive pieces of rabbit and no matter how you peer and poke, you’ll not see it, until you get home. I really need to learn! There is always a head in the package! The French want the head! So that’s why, with violent protests from Jade, I cooked the head. Just to see what it’s all about 🙂 Don’t get upset! I cooked it but M. Parret ate it. He wanted it.
I first cooked the beans with a chunk of smoked pork butt or palette de porc, then tossed in some whole chorizo and a half of a morteau sausage, put everything in a roasting pan, placed the browned rabbit on top to go into the oven, covered, for about an hour. This is when I really miss my tajines and covered casseroles that are stupidly in Stuttgart. My husband is bringing down one of the tajines to leave here when he comes to pick us up and take us back, kicking and screaming, to Germany. Just kidding 😀 But not.
This was a very good cassoulet and perfect for the cooler, rainy weather we seem to be getting. Lesson learned, finally: Buy your rabbits in the market and have them de-headed. I cooked it but I don’t find rabbit head attractive or appetizing. Apparently M. Parret does, but he’s French 🙂
Cassoulet de Lapin
1 large onion, cut in half and sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 branch each, rosemary, bay leaf, thyme, tied together with a string (bouquet garni)
1 chunk of smoked pork butt
3 cups fresh, shelled Paimpol coco beans
3 slender carrots, sliced
1 can diced tomatoes
2 whole Spanish chorizo
1/2 morteau sausage
One rabbit, de-headed and cut into serving pieces
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup white wine
Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are golden and soft, stir in the bouquet garni, the pork butt and beans. Cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Drain the water from the beans, reserving one cup. Mix the beans with the carrots, tomatoes, chorizo and morteau, then place on the bottom of a roasting pan. Set aside.
Season the rabbit with salt and pepper, brown in the olive oil and butter, then place on top of the beans. Pour over the reserved bean water, then the white wine. Cover with a cover or aluminum foil, then place in a 375 F oven for 1 -1 1/2 hours.
Wine suggestion: Cote Chalonnaise
Cooking in Sens 
That looks delicious! We seem to be in step this week, I’ve got rabbit for dinner tomorrow 😉
I’d use the head for stock and to add flavour. In Sichuan Provence, rabbit heads are spiced and deep fried – apparently people eat them on the way home from drinking in the evening.
You know I’m not squeamish, Mad, but rabbit heads just look like bug eyed garbage to me. Off with the heads 🙂
Ha ha – I can appreciate that they are not to everybody’s taste, though they are great for stock 🙂
I really want to cook with rabbit, but only a few places sell it here. This looks delicious and your beans always look wonderful.
Thank you Greg. So glad it’s the bean season!
I’m sure you get a lot of flavour from the head but that would make me jump if I didn’t know it was in the package and suddenly there was an eyeball. 🙂
This is about the 3rd time I’ve bought rabbit in the package, always expecting to see no head. I’m finally over it. Market rabbit is better anyway.
This is one of those Sunday Family Meals you can spend eating all day, minus the rabbit. I am not that adventurous yet to try rabbit.
The beans are fine alone but the rabbit is perfection!
One day I will be brave and try rabbit!
looks just beautiful…I bet the rabbit really gave a wonderful richness to the beans…lovely post as always…sarah
Thank you Sarah.
All deeply tasty, though the eye was a trifle un-nerving. And Drug back to Germany. NO! I was just getting used to you being back in Sens.. ah well.. c
I meant dragged back but said drug, of course your husband won’t have to Drug you to get you back there.. will he? c
Pretty much.
Lovely, Rosemary. When the Wicklow Hunter delivered a brace to e recently, he had the decency to clean, shin and head them. He’s a good lad.
Thank you Conor. It’s only right. Especially with a brace:)
Love cassoulet and love rabbit. I never cook with rabbit myself but this seems like a great way to cook it, might be worth a try
It is Meg.
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Looks delicious! I actually found a place here in town that sells rabbit and so I bought one last week. It will sit in the freezer until I decide how to prepare it. Thank you for the inspiration!
You are welcome Tessa. Looking forward to seeing your rabbit dish.
Wow these beans are gorgeous. In Chile I went rabbit hunting and then cooked them up on the grill. It was so amazing to be able to do that but not for the feint of heart. What a beautiful use of meats and flavors. What a truly great culinary endeavor.
Thank you. Grilled rabbit sounds delicious.
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