5 places to eat a good royal hare

Hare à la royale is one of the jewels of French gastronomy, a dish as sophisticated as it is historic. It originated at the court of King Louis XIV, famous for his taste for game, despite one surprising detail: at the end of his life, the sovereign had no teeth. To satisfy his cravings while taking this particularity into account, his cooks developed a long and gentle cooking technique, enabling the hare meat to become so tender that it could practically be eaten without chewing.

However, the version we know today has been perfected over time. It was Antonin Carême, a famous 18th-century chef, who codified the recipe in his book Le Souper de la cour in 1775. He introduced the idea of a stuffing rich in foie gras and truffles, accompanied by cooking in red wine, bringing a touch of luxury to the dish. Its preparation was extremely complex, requiring several days' work.

A more accessible version of hare à la royale was introduced in 1891 by Senator Aristide Couteaux. This simplified interpretation enabled a greater number of cooks to make this exceptional dish their own. Today, this dish continues to fascinate and inspire chefs. To help you discover this culinary marvel, here is a selection of five addresses where you can savour hare à la royale in all its splendour.

Le Relais de la Poste, Magescq

On October 26, 2024, the Championnat du Monde du Lièvre à la Royale was held. This year, Maxime Rizo, second in command to Jean Cousseau at Le Relais de la Poste in Magescq (3 toques), took first prize for his reinterpretation of this emblematic dish. His hare à la royale, marinated and simmered for several hours, contains a stuffing "composed of pork throat, lean veal, foie gras and truffle". For autumnal flavors, the 31-year-old chef adds a woodland mushroom cromesquis, breaded with hazelnut breadcrumbs, a butternut royale with cep and hazelnut fricassee, emulsified hazelnut milk and a butternut palate with cep carpaccio.

• Where to find us Le Relais de la Poste, 24 avenue de Maremne, 40140 Magescq
• https://www.relaisposte.com/fr/les-tables/la-table-gastronomique.html

stéphane Riss

La Table d'Olivier Nasti, Kaysersberg

At Olivier Nasti's, Chef of the Year 2023, game is an autumn staple. Every year, the chef launches his "hunting menus", both at La Table d'Olivier Nasti (5 toques) and at the Winstub in Le Chambard. At the gastronomic restaurant, the chef and his team offer a two-course hare à la royale, with a rosé filet, slices of Beauce hare "à la Royale" and a shoulder of "Sénateur Couteaux". A sure bet when you consider that Olivier Nasti was president of the jury for the last Championnat du monde du lièvre à la royale, while his runner-up, Mathieu Silvestre, won the title in 2019.

• Where to eat? La Table d'Olivier Nasti, Le Chambard, 13 rue du Général de Gaulle, 68240 Kaysersberg
• www.lechambard.fr

Le Lucas Carton, Paris

At Le Lucas Carton (3 toques), hare à la royale is a must. "We offer it throughout the season, from October to December... subject to availability! Many customers ask for it and even ask to be notified when it's back on the menu. But it's a dish that requires a lot of technique and above all time (marinating, cooking, preparation), so it's sometimes out of stock", Hugo Bourny tells us. In fact, the chef offers a classic hare à la royale, Antonin Carême style, "a historic recipe for a historic address, which appeals to a clientele of connoisseurs", he assures us.

• Where to eat? Le Lucas Carton, 9 place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris
• www.lucascarton.com

© Le photographe du dimanche

Restaurant Guy Lassausaie, Chasselay

Hare à la royale has become one of Guy Lassausaie 's signature dishes (3 toques). The chef, who is also Meilleur Ouvrier de France, has been offering this dish every year for the past 35 years, to the delight of fans of well-executed classics. "The distinctive feature of our recipe is controlled cooking, without overcooking. The blood sauce is balanced by a quince gastrique, to bring liveliness to the dish", Guy Lassausaie explains.

• Where to find us Restaurant Guy Lassausaie, 1 rue de Belle-Sise, 69380 Chasselay
• www.guy-lassausaie.com

L'Ami Jean, Paris

L'Ami Jean (2 toques), in Paris, is an ode to gourmet cuisine, led by chef Stéphane Jégo. You'll find great classics of French cuisine, such as traditional grandma's bourguignon, butter-roasted veal sweetbreads, or, in autumn, the famous hare à la royale Senateur Couteaux style.

• Where to eat? L'Ami Jean, 27 rue Malar, 75007 Paris
• https://lamijean.fr/

Bonus: JU - Maison de Cuisine, Bonnieux

If you like the power of a royal hare sauce, without the strength of game, Julien Allano is sure to please. The chef at JU-Maison de Cuisine (3 toques) in Bonnieux has created a dish in which the hare is replaced by guinea fowl "à la royale", accompanied by a refreshing apple tart with tarragon powder and ginger. A truly successful revisiting of a great classic!

• Where to eat? JU - Maison de Cuisine, 2 rue Lucien Blanc, 84480 Bonnieux, France
• https://ju-maisondecuisine.com/fr/