Rabbit Almondine

Rabbit almondine sits in that sweet spot between French country cooking and old American game-day fare. Flour-coated rabbit pieces brown hard in oil, then go for a slow simmer in chicken broth with rosemary, lemon rind, and onion rings until the meat pulls easily from the bone.

The broth gets thickened with the reserved flour into a quick gravy, finished off-heat with sour cream so it stays glossy instead of curdling. Toasted slivered almonds go in last for crunch and that buttery, nutty note the almondine name promises. The lemon zest is the secret here, it brightens the cream and keeps the dish from going heavy.

Rabbit cooks faster than chicken thigh but dries out just as quickly. Don’t push the simmer past where the meat reads tender on a fork. Serve over buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes to catch the gravy.

Chef Tips

• Brown the rabbit pieces hard in a heavy skillet before adding broth. The fond at the bottom is where most of the flavor lives.
• Add the sour cream off the heat or at the lowest simmer. Boiling it splits the gravy.
• Toast the almonds in a dry skillet until they smell warm and nutty, about 4 minutes. Pale almonds add no flavor.
• Pat the rabbit dry before flouring, wet meat won’t take a proper crust.

Variations

• Use bone-in chicken thighs in place of rabbit if you can’t source it, same method works.
• Sub white wine for half the chicken broth for a deeper, more classic French finish.
• Add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard to the gravy for a sharper edge.