Rabbit in White Wine and Mustard Sauce

• 1 3-pound rabbit, dressed weight, cut into serving pieces
• Salt to taste, if desired
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 6 ounces lean salt pork cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons corn, peanut or vegetable oil
• 24 pearl onions, peeled, about 1 cup
• 1/2 pound small white mushrooms
• 1/2 pound carrots, trimmed and scraped and cut into 1/4-inch cubes, about 1 cup
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups very dry white wine
• 1 cup fresh or canned chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. Sprinkle the rabbit pieces,including the liver, with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Bring enough water to the boil to cover the salt pork pieces when they are added.
3. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet large enough to hold the rabbit pieces in one layer and add the salt pork cubes.
4. Cook, stirring often, until the pieces are crisp and slightly browned.
5. Remove and set aside the salt pork pieces.
6. Set the rabbit liver aside.
7. Add the remaining rabbit pieces to the fat in the skillet and cook about five minutes.
8. Remove the rabbit pieces and pour off all the fat from the skillet.
9. Return the rabbit pieces to the skillet.
10. Add the onions, mushrooms and carrots.
11. Add the garlic and stir to redistribute the ingredients.
12. Cook about five minutes.
13. Sprinkle with flour and stir so that the ingredients are evenly coated.
14. Add the tomato paste and stir.
15. Add the wine, broth and bring to the boil, stirring from the bottom to prevent sticking.
16. Add the mustard and stir to blend.
17. Tie the thyme, bay leaf, parsley and rosemary into a bundle and add it.
18. Cover closely and cook 40 minutes.
19. Add the rabbit liver and the browned pieces of salt pork.
20. Stir.
21. Cover and continue cooking five minutes.
22. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with noodles or mashed potatoes.

rabbit, salt, freshly ground pepper, lean salt, corn, pearl onions, white mushrooms, carrots, garlic, flour, tomato paste, very dry, chicken broth, mustard, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, rosemary, parsley

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/263 (may not work)