Rabbit Casserole With Mustard Sauce

Here in Costa Rica we have wonderful farmers markets in almost every town. The one where we go, in San Isidro de General, the market covers a huge city block inside an enormous warehouse. One of the ladies there grows and sells rabbit. I found this recipe in The Essential Mediterranean Cookbook and it's become one of our favorites. Just tell your company it's chicken (just kidding...).

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2  rabbits (26 oz each)
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  onions, sliced
• 4  slices bacon, cut into 1 1/4 inch pieces
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups  chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1⁄2 cup white wine
• 1  teaspoon fresh thyme leave
• 1⁄2 cup  cream
• 2  tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1  sprig thyme, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Remove any fat from the rabbits and wash under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
3. Cut along both sides of the backbones with kitchen shears and discard bones.
4. Cut each rabbit into eight even-sized pieces and pat dry again.
5. Heat half the oil in a 2.5 litre flameproof casserole dish. Brown rabbit in batches, adding oil when necessary, then set aside.
6. Add the onion and the bacon to the casserole dish and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and mix. Stir with a wooden spoon to scrape up the sediment from the base. Add the stock and wine, and stir until the sauce comes to a boil.
8. Return the rabbit to the casserole dish and add the thyme.
9. Cover and bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the rabbit is tender and the sauce has thickened.
10. Combine the cream and mustard, then stir into the sauce in the casserole.
11. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve.
12. Great with mashed potatoes.