Katniss’s rabbit (or chicken) chasseur

serves 4-6

what you need:

meat
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 rabbit (jointed into two front legs, two hind legs, two halves of saddle)
(or)
3 pound broiler chicken (cut into 2 legs, 2 breasts, 2 thighs)

sauce
1 shallot, sliced
1 cup sliced yellow onion
2 cups mushrooms (Crimini, small yellow foot trumpets, and/or Shiitake)
1  8 ounce can Roma whole peeled tomatoes, strained
¼ cup red wine
⅛ cup brandy
½ teaspoon kosher salt (and as needed)
pinch of piment d’espelette
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 bouquet garni (made of thyme, bay, Italian parsley, and leek)
1 cup rabbit (or chicken) stock 
1 teaspoon arrowroot dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

garnish
fresh thyme  sprigs (as needed)
fresh tarragon leaves (optional)

how to:

• Sauté Meat. Place a cast iron skillet or cocotte over a medium-high flame. Add butter and melt. Add garlic to butter. Once garlic is fragrant, add the meat (rabbit or chicken) in batches and brown on all sides. Do not crowd the pan. Once brown, remove the meat with tongs and place on a plate. Repeat until all of the meat has been browned.

• Degrease. If you are cooking chicken, pour off (or use a paper towel if there is not much to remove) the excess grease from the pan. 

• Sauté Shallots And Onions. Add Shallots and onions to the skillet (if you are cooking rabbit the pan may be dry so add a little butter). 

• Sauté Mushrooms. Once onions are translucent, add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown. 

• Add Tomatoes. Add the tomatoes to the skillet and break them into smaller pieces with the back of a wooden spoon.

• Add Wine And Brandy. When the liquid from the tomatoes is almost cooked out of the pan, add the wine and brandy. Cook until the liquid has been reduced by half (demi sec). 

• Add Meat, Stock, And Bouquet Garni. Return the meat to the skillet and toss with the vegetables. Add the bouquet garni and stock (the stock should come up half way to the side of the meat, but not cover it).

• Braise. Place a lid on the skillet and place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes.

• Degrease. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Use tongs and a slotted spoon to remove the meat and vegetables. Set aside on a plate and cover the plate with foil to keep food warm.

• Strain Liquid. Use a chinois or sieve to strain the remaining liquid. Discard the bouquet garni. 

• Degrease Liquid. Use a spoon (or a fat separator) to remove the fat from the cooking liquid. This is easier if you let the liquid cool because the fat will rise to the top and solidify.

• Slurry. Once strained, return the liquid to pan and reduce to about ⅓ of a cup. Dissolve the arrowroot in the water in a separate bowl. Whisk the arrowroot slurry into the liquid and whisk until it thickens to sauce consistency. Return the meat and vegetables to the liquid and toss to coat, cook for 3-5 minutes to rewarm the meat and vegetables. 

• Adjust Seasoning/Garnish. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add fresh thyme sprigs. 

• Serve. Serve warm.