Ingredients
- rabbit, cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- the forelegs and bony chest pieces of above rabbit
- 1 onion, roughly diced
- 1 carrot, roughly diced
- 1 large branch celery with leaves, roughly sliced
- bouquet garni of bay leaf, thyme, parsley and peppercorns
- 1 pint small new onions, pearl onions or shallots
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- the remaining rabbit pieces
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3–4 tablespoons cognac
- 2 tablespoons flour
- rabbit stock (from above)
- a second bouquet garni, same as above
- 2 cups medium-dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons dry lavender flowers
- 1 tablespoon lavender or star thistle honey
- salt and freshly ground white pepper
- sprigs of fresh lavender if available
Instructions
For the stock: Heat oil in a heavy pot, brown the bony rabbit pieces, add vegetables and brown lightly. Add enough water to cover, then tuck in the bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, skimming off foam; reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, 1 hour. Strain and discard solids.
For the onions: Put onions in a small, heavy saucepan with butter, sugar, salt and enough water to cover. Cook over medium heat, stirring delicately, until the water has evaporated and the onions have a beautiful, caramel glaze. Reserve.
For the rabbit: Salt and pepper the rabbit pieces. In a Dutch oven, melt butter with oil over medium heat. Lightly brown the rabbit pieces on all sides, working quickly so the interior meat stays rare and moist. Remove the pot from heat. In a small saucepan, slightly warm the cognac. Pour it over the rabbit pieces and ignite, turning the rabbit pieces to flame them thoroughly. When the flames die out, sprinkle rabbit pieces with flour and turn over. Add the hot reserved stock and fresh bouquet garni, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer partly covered for about 25 minutes. The rabbit should be thoroughly cooked—but only just. The fragile meat easily becomes dry if overdone. Remove the meat to a hot platter, scatter the onions around it, cover and keep warm.
Remove the bouquet garni from the sauce, and place sauce over high heat. Boil until reduced by at least half. The sauce should be slightly thickened.
In a small saucepan, reduce wine by half over high heat. Add lavender blossoms, bring down to a simmer and reduce by half again. Strain this reduction into the sauce. Stir in honey. Taste and correct seasoning. Pour sauce over the rabbit and onions, garnish with reserved blossoms. Serve over fresh noodles or grilled polenta, with a hearty green salad.
