Rabbit Fricassee ('Kaninchenfrikassee')

Cut up and sear the rabbit:

Preheat your oven to 320 °F (160 °C).

Cutaway the leg quarters from the carcass and set them aside. With poultry scissors, cut through the spine to separate the back of the rabbit into two pieces.

Season the rabbit pieces to taste with salt and dust them generously with flour. Heat the lard in a Dutch oven over medium heat and sear the rabbit pieces in batches until lightly golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Set the rabbit pieces aside.

Prepare your braising liquid:

Lower the heat of your stove to medium-low and add the onions, leeks, carrots, celeriac, and parsley sprigs into your pot. Sweat the vegetables for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly translucent. Add the Dijon mustard and mix briefly. Deglaze the pan with white wine and add in the juniper berries, allspice berries, black peppercorns, and bay leaves. Layer the rabbit pieces on top of the vegetables. Add enough water to just barely cover all the meat, about 4 cups. Bring the braising liquid to a light simmer, then cover the Dutch oven with a lid. Place in the preheated oven.

Braise the rabbit:

After 20 minutes of braising, remove the rabbit backs from the pot and set them aside. Return the Dutch oven back into your oven and braise for another 25 minutes. Then, remove the lid and let the rabbit pieces braise for another 15 minutes. Once done, take the Dutch oven out of the oven and set the rabbit leg quarters aside.

Once cool enough to handle, cut the rabbit meat into bite-size pieces. I like to cleave directly through the bone but if you prefer boneless meat, then you can pull the meat off the bone by using your hands.

Prepare the sauce:

Discard all the vegetables and spices and pass your braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Pour the braising liquid into a large pan and reduce over medium-high heat by about half. In a bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche and sugar. Take a ladle of your reduced braising liquid and whisk it into the crème fraîche until smooth. Add the crème fraîche mixture to the rest of the braising liquid. Take your cornstarch slurry and slowly whisk it into your lightly simmering sauce until thickened to your liking. Don't over thicken it. The sauce should be creamy and not gummy. Season the finished sauce to taste with nutmeg and salt.

Prepare the sides:

It's best to prepare the sides while the sauce is reducing.

Put the unpeeled potatoes inside a large pot and cover with cold water. Season the water liberally with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down the heat and let the potatoes simmer, covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes or until tender. To check for doneness, pierce the potatoes with a sharp paring knife. If you feel no resistance and the knife slides easily off the potato, they are done. Drain the potatoes and peel them while still warm using a sharp paring knife. Cut into bite-size pieces.

Heat the clarified butter in a large pan over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes or until tender to your liking. Season to taste with salt and set aside.

Serve the rabbit fricassee:

Add the rabbit meat, potatoes, and mushrooms into your sauce. Mix well and let all the ingredients heat through for 1-2 minutes. Ladle into individual serving bowls and sprinkle with chives.