Savory Lapin a la Moutarde Recipe

Lapin a la Moutarde Recipe

This Lapin à la Moutarde recipe pairs tender braised rabbit with a creamy Dijon mustard sauce and classic Petits Pois à la française for a comforting French main course. Featured on Dinner in Paris, host Romain Avril combines two styles of Dijon mustard, white wine, thyme, cream, and parsley to create a rich sauce for the rabbit, while peas, butter lettuce, onion, butter, and lemon provide a fresh and delicate accompaniment. The result is an elegant meal that brings together traditional French flavors, tender meat, creamy sauce, and vibrant vegetables.

The Inspiration

Lapin à la Moutarde, or rabbit with mustard, is a classic French preparation that demonstrates how mustard can be used as much more than a condiment. In this dish, Dijon mustard becomes the foundation of a rich braising sauce that complements the mild flavor of rabbit while adding acidity, spice, and depth.

In Dinner in Paris, Romain Avril begins by seasoning individual sections of rabbit with salt and pepper before browning them in a combination of butter and olive oil. This initial searing develops color on the exterior and creates flavorful browned bits in the pan that become part of the sauce.

Together, Lapin à la Moutarde and Petits Pois à la française create a beautifully balanced plate. The rabbit is rich, creamy, and savory, while the peas are sweet, buttery, fresh, and lightly acidic.

Ingredients

For Lapin à la Moutarde

• 1 whole rabbit separated into sections (hind legs, front legs, saddle, loins, belly flap)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup creamy Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup grainy Dijon mustard
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper

For Petits Pois

• 400 g (2 cups) fresh or frozen peas (thawed)
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 small head of butter lettuce, torn by hand
• 40 g (3 tbsp) butter
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• Salt and pepper
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method

Make Lapin à la Moutarde

• Season rabbit with salt and pepper. Heat oil and butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add rabbit pieces and brown for 6-8 minutes, tunrning every 2 minutes.
• Remove rabbit from pan and reserve. Add shallots and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Deglaze with white wine and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Reduce wine for 3-4 minutes or until half of it has evaporated.
• Whisk in water, mustards, and thyme. Bring to a simmer. Add seared rabbit sections back in the sauce and reduce heat to medium-low.
• Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 40-45 minutes. Remove the rabbit sections and place them on a serving platter.
• Discard thyme sprigs. Add cream to sauce and bring to a simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper and stir in parsley.
• Serve sauce on top of rabbit.

Make Petits Pois

• Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Add onion, cook 3-4 minutes.
• Add peas. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 tbsp of water. Stir and cook covered for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove lid and fold in torn lettuce leaves. Cook for 1 minute.
• Squeeze in lemon juice and serve alongside Lapin a la Moutarde. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

For an elegant presentation, arrange several pieces of rabbit on a warm serving platter and spoon the mustard cream sauce generously over them. Scatter some of the chopped parsley and softened shallots from the sauce across the top so the dish looks abundant and inviting.

A crusty French baguette can be served at the table for enjoying any remaining mustard sauce. The bread’s crisp crust and soft interior make it particularly suitable for soaking up the creamy mixture of wine, Dijon mustard, herbs, and rabbit juices.

Whether presented family-style or individually plated, this combination of mustard-braised rabbit and buttery French peas creates a refined but comforting dining experience.

Final Thoughts

This Lapin à la Moutarde recipe showcases the depth and elegance of traditional French cooking by pairing tender rabbit with a creamy sauce made from Dijon mustard, white wine, thyme, shallots, garlic, and cream.

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