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Meat, Classics and bistro fare

Rabbit with prunes and steamed potatoes

Rabbit with prunes and steamed potatoes is a braised dish for 4 people, ready in 90 minutes, medium difficulty, for about €3.80 per person. The rabbit braises in white wine with onions and mustard, then the prunes join the pot toward the end of cooking. The key is keeping the heat very low during the braise so the meat stays tender.

A rabbit braised in white wine with soft prunes, that's the recipe for family Sundays, served with steamed potatoes.

Rabbit with prunes and steamed potatoes
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.80
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Rabbit with prunes is the kind of dish that fills the whole house with smell while it simmers away. The white wine sauce, built with mustard and thickened with flour, coats tender meat that pulls easily off the bone. The prunes soften slightly and add a touch of sweetness that balances the wine's tang, without ever making the dish heavy.

This is a Sunday recipe, the kind you start calmly in the afternoon while the pot does the work. It suits a dinner with guests well, since the braise holds up ahead of time and the sauce only gets better while it waits. The plain steamed potatoes stay neutral and let the sauce and its flavors take the lead.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Rabbit, cut into pieces 1.2 kg

Pantry

  • Pitted prunesoften in the pantry 16
  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 25 cl
  • Chicken stock cubeoften in the pantry 1
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Flouroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 2
  • Potatoes 900 g
  • Thyme 3 sprigs

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the rabbit pieces in butter in a Dutch oven, then set them aside. 10 min

    Pat the meat dry first, it browns better.

  2. Soften the sliced onions in the pot, sprinkle with flour, and stir for a minute. 5 min

    Cooking the flour briefly thickens the sauce without lumps.

  3. Pour in the white wine and the diluted stock, add the mustard and thyme, put the rabbit back in, and let it simmer covered. 50 min

    Keep the heat at a bare simmer, the rabbit dries out if it boils.

  4. Add the prunes and continue cooking. 20 min

    The prunes bring their sweetness at the end, they shouldn't fall apart.

  5. Peel the potatoes and steam them, then serve with the rabbit and its sauce. 25 min

    A knife tip should slide in with no resistance.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a dry white wine you'd actually want to drink, its quality shows directly in the sauce.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end of cooking, take the rabbit out and let it reduce uncovered for a few minutes before serving.
  • Cut the rabbit pieces to an even size so they all cook at the same rate.

The variations

  • Swap the rabbit for free range chicken pieces, the cooking time will be a bit shorter.
  • For a meatless version, use button mushrooms and carrots braised in the same white wine sauce.
  • To save time, buy rabbit already cut into small pieces and cut the braising time down to 35 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Steamed potatoes, already part of the recipe
  • A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
  • Crusty bread for the sauce

Storage

Rabbit with prunes keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, without the potatoes, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can you make rabbit with prunes ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended. Make the rabbit the day before so the sauce has time to develop its flavor. Reheat it gently the next day and serve with freshly cooked potatoes.

What white wine works best for this recipe?

A dry, lightly oaked white wine works well, like a chablis or a muscadet. Avoid sweeter wines, which would throw off the balance with the prunes.

Can you use chicken instead of rabbit?

Yes, chicken thighs or drumsticks work well in this recipe. Plan for a slightly shorter braising time, around 35 minutes instead of 50.

Do the prunes need to be soaked before adding them?

It's not required, but letting them plump up in a bit of warm tea makes them softer. Add them to the pot along with their soaking liquid if you want to deepen the flavor.

How long does it take to make a rabbit with prunes and steamed potatoes?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a rabbit with prunes and steamed potatoes?

About 580 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a rabbit with prunes and steamed potatoes cost?

About €3.80 per serving, or €15.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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