Civet de lièvre is the most primal and ancient of French game braises — a hare marinated in red wine, braised with lardons and aromatics, and finished with a liaison of the animal's own blood, which thickens the sauce to a dark, velvet, almost-black intensity that no other technique can achieve. The word civet derives from cive (chive/spring onion), referring to the abundant onions in the original medieval recipe, but it has come to signify any game preparation finished with a blood liaison. This is cooking at its most honest: an animal taken in the hunt, every part utilised, the blood saved and used to complete the sauce in a closed circle of flavour. Joint the hare into pieces (front legs, back legs halved, saddle in 3-4 sections), reserving the blood mixed with a tablespoon of red wine vinegar to prevent coagulation. The liver is also reserved. Marinate the joints overnight in a full bottle of robust red wine with the usual aromatics. Dry the pieces, brown deeply, flambé with cognac. Build the braise: render lardons, soften mirepoix, add flour, the strained marinade wine, stock, bouquet garni, juniper berries, and a strip of orange zest. Return the hare, cover, and braise at 150°C for 2-2.5 hours for a young hare, up to 3.5 hours for an old one. When tender, remove the meat. Strain and reduce the sauce. The critical moment: off the heat, when the sauce has cooled slightly to 70-75°C (never boiling), whisk in the reserved blood mixed with a tablespoon of cream. Return to the gentlest possible heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens to a dark, opaque, velvet consistency. It must never boil after the blood is added — above 80°C, the blood proteins coagulate into unappetising granules. Separately, sauté the liver in butter, purée it, and stir into the sauce for additional depth. Return the hare pieces, add lardons and crôutons spread with the liver purée. The finished civet is dark as midnight, rich beyond description, with the wild, iron-tinged depth that only blood and game can provide. It is one of the most powerful dishes in the French canon.
Blood reserved with vinegar to prevent coagulation. Overnight wine marinade for the hare joints. Deep browning and cognac flambé for layered flavour. Blood liaison added off the heat at 70-75°C — NEVER boil after. Liver puréed and stirred in for additional depth. Sauce should be dark, opaque, velvet — the defining character.
If hare blood is unavailable, pig's blood from a butcher can substitute, though the flavour is less intense. A few squares of dark chocolate melted into the sauce before the blood adds depth without identifiable flavour. The sang liaison technique also applies to coq au vin (with rooster blood) and civets of other game. Wild hare in season (October-January) has incomparably more flavour than at other times. Serve with roasted chestnuts, cranberry conserve, and céleri purée — the traditional Autumnal accompaniments.
Boiling the sauce after adding the blood — proteins scramble into an unappetising grainy texture. Not reserving the blood with vinegar immediately — it coagulates within minutes. Using farmed rabbit instead of wild hare — the flavour intensity is incomparable. Under-marinating — hare's dense, lean flesh needs 24 hours. Not reducing the sauce before the blood liaison — it should already be concentrated.
Le Guide Culinaire — Auguste Escoffier