Rabbit Stew with Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Servings: 4–6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1½–2 hours
🥘 Ingredients for the Rabbit Stew
- 1 whole rabbit, cut into serving pieces (about 2½–3 lb)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, sliced into thick rounds
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth
- 1 cup dry red wine or additional broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp butter, for finishing
🥔 For the Mashed Potatoes
- 2½ lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½–¾ cup warm milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream, optional
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Brown the rabbit
Pat the rabbit pieces dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the rabbit on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Remove and set aside.
2. Cook the vegetables
Add the onion and carrots to the same pot. Cook for 4–5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
3. Build the gravy
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well. Cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, then slowly pour in the wine while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Simmer the rabbit
Pour in the broth and add the bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and Worcestershire sauce. Return the rabbit to the pot. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat.
Bring everything to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 1½–2 hours, or until the rabbit is very tender and the gravy has thickened.
5. Make the mashed potatoes
While the stew cooks, boil the potatoes in salted water for 15–20 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain thoroughly. Mash with butter, warm milk and cream. Season with salt and black pepper. For the decorative look in the photo, transfer the potatoes to a piping bag and pipe small rosettes onto the plate.
6. Finish the stew
Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the gravy is too thin, simmer uncovered for a few minutes. Stir in the final tablespoon of butter and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
🍽️ To Serve
Spoon a generous portion of the rabbit stew onto each plate and surround it with creamy mashed-potato rosettes. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and serve immediately.
Tip: Rabbit is very lean, so avoid boiling it aggressively. A slow, gentle simmer keeps the meat tender and prevents it from becoming dry.