Rabbit legs in mushroom cream sauce

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 6 rabbit legs
• 150 g bacon, fat
• 50 g porcini mushrooms, dried
• 2 bunch soup vegetables
• 1 large onion(s)
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 200 ml water
• 200 ml chicken stock
• 200 ml white wine
• 200 ml coffee cream
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp allspice berries
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp oregano, dried
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp clarified butter for frying

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 45 minutes; Total time approx. 14 hours 25 minutes

a recipe from Grandpa Günter

Soak the mushrooms in water overnight or boil them until soft at the beginning of the preparation. Finely dice the bacon. Wash the rabbit legs and pat dry. Trim, wash, and dice the soup vegetables and onion. Peel and slice the garlic. Melt the bacon cubes (reserve about 1 tablespoon) and the clarified butter in a roasting pan and fry the rabbit legs over moderate heat, turning frequently. Be careful not to burn the bacon. Season with salt and pepper while frying. The rabbit meat should be well browned, so be patient when frying! Spread the diced vegetables, onions, garlic, and seasonings over the rabbit meat. Pour in 200 ml each of water, chicken stock, and mushroom stock, so that the meat is covered. Braise the rabbit legs in the oven with the lid closed at 180°C for about 1.5 hours. Then remove the rabbit legs and keep warm. Strain the sauce with the braised vegetables through a sieve. Add the coffee cream, the remaining mushroom stock (if desired), and the white wine. Thicken the sauce with a little cornstarch, if desired. Add the mushrooms to the sauce and heat through. Season to taste. Fry the remaining bacon cubes until crisp and add to the sauce just before serving. Serve the rabbit legs in the mushroom cream sauce with, for example, boiled potatoes and Brussels sprouts.