This a French bistro classic. Serve it on a bed of sautéed cabbage with onions or with buttered noodles.
Mix together in a small bowl:
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Generously brush it over:
1 rabbit (3 to 3 1/2 pound each), cut into 8 serving pieces
Season with:
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Heat in a large sauté pan or skillet with a lid over medium heat:
3 tablespoons olive oil
Add the rabbit pieces, in batches if necessary, and lightly brown, about 5 minutes each side. Remove the rabbit pieces to a platter. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add to the pan and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes:
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
Add and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits:
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Return the rabbit to the pan, cover, and cook gently until tender but still moist, about 45 minutes. Remove the rabbit from the sauce, cover to keep warm, and strain the sauce carefully through a fine-mesh sieve. Stir in: