Pairing: Rabbit with lush sauvignon blanc

There is a lushness to our Wine of the Week, Langtry Estate 2014 Guenoc Valley Lillie Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ($25), a richness that fills the mouth with crisp citrus flavors that resolve into a quality suggestive of lemon curd. You’ll notice a hint of grapefruit zest, along with a little flourish of jalapeño, too. Mingling with these flavors is bright acidity and some of those enticing wet-cement qualities that are so engaging and food-friendly.

The wine has broad appeal at the table, with all the usual suspects offering good matches and others you might not expect engaging beautifully with the wine’s richness. Zucchini, celery, cucumber, green beans, avocado, cabbage, crisp lettuces, sheep’s milk yogurt, prosciutto, Petrale sole and similar fish, clams and oysters all welcome this wine alongside, as you would expect. But arancine (risotto balls), fettuccine with Romano beans and chevre, classic lobster rolls and even bagels with cream cheese and sliced red onion are great companions.

Vietnamese bahn mi with pork and green papaya salad are flattered by this wine and Vietnamese noodle salads, known as bun, make a compelling match.

Mustard, especially a suave Dijon, can heighten a match. Mustard vinaigrette over grilled fish or chicken, pork tenderloin with a mustard glaze, ham with mustard sauce all work beautifully. For today’s recipe, I’m suggesting a classic recipe from the heart of mustard country, Dijon, France. Now that rabbit is readily available in Sonoma County, you can easily make this dish without substituting chicken, as I did for years.

Rabbit Dijonnaise

Serves 3 to 4

1 3-pound rabbit, dressed and cut into 6 pieces

- Kosher salt

- Black pepper in a mill

3 tablespoons butter

6 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup creme fraiche

4 tablespoons Dijon mustard

5 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated

4 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley

1 cup homemade mustard breadcrumbs (see Note below)

Rinse the rabbit under cool tap water, pat dry with a tea towel and season all over with salt and pepper.

Put the butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet set over medium-low heat and when the butter melts, add the garlic and sauté, turning frequently, until they just begin to pick up some color. Use tongs to transfer the garlic to a bowl or plate.

Sauté the rabbit for 2 to 3 minutes, turn and sauté 2 to 3 minutes more or until golden brown. Add the white wine and chicken stock and when the liquid boils, reduce the heat to very low, cover the skillet and simmer very gently for 10 minutes, or until the rabbit is just cooked through.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Transfer the rabbit to a baking dish that will hold it in a single layer. Cover and set in the oven to keep warm.

Working quickly, increase the heat under the skillet to high, return the garlic to the pan and simmer the cooking juices until they are reduced to about 1/2 cup. Use a fork to mash the garlic into a smooth puree.

Add the cream and creme fraiche and cook until it is reduced by one third. Stir in the mustard, half the cheese and half the parsley and remove from the heat.

If the stove has a broiler, turn it on high. If there is no broiler, increase the oven heat to 475 degrees.

Remove the rabbit from the oven and pour the sauce over it. Top with the remaining cheese, the parsley and the bread crumbs. Set under the broiler or in the hot oven until the cheese melts and the bread crumbs are just picking up some color.

Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Note: To make breadcrumbs, cut two-day-old bread into 1-inch cubes, run through a food processor until uniform crumbs are formed, sauté in a little butter until lightly toasted, toss with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper.

Email Michele Ana Jordan at michele @saladdresser.com. Her blog, “Eat This Now,” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.