Daube De Lapin (Rabbit Stew Casserole)

Bone Man's Note:

This French recipe infuses the complexities of lovely seasonings into a terrific meat stew/casserole. It's not difficult -- just allow plenty of time for the marination process. While the French chiefly use farm-raised rabbits, there no reason that hunters here in the United States could not use wild ones. In that instance, you'll probably need two rabbits if they are fairly young.

• Total Time: 13 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 12 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 1.0 casserole

• 3 lbs rabbit , cut into pieces
• 8 slices bacon , cut into 2-inch strips
• 2 medium onions , thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove , finely chopped
• 3 medium carrots , peeled and thinly sliced

MARINADE

• 16 ounces dry white wine (e.g., pino grigio)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 black peppercorns
• 2 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 garlic cloves , crushed
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:

1. Combine the marinade ingredients and, in a large casserole dish, pour it over the rabbit. Cover with cling wrap and chill in refrigerator for 12 hours, turning the rabbit 3-4 times during the marinating process.
2. Dry the rabbit. Strain and reserve the marinade in the refrigerator.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. In a large frying pan, fry the bacon strips until they are crisp. Then remove the bacon to paper towels. In the same pan, in the bacon fat which remains, fry the onions, the chopped garlic, and the carrots for about 5-6 minutes until they are lightly colored. Then add in the rabbit pieces and brown all sides (if there is not enough bacon fat, just add a little cooking oil.).
5. Add the reserved marinade to the pan and bring it to a boil.
6. Place all pan ingredients including the liquid into a large casserole dish. Add the bacon back in and place into the pre-heated oven for about an hour (until the rabbit becomes tender.).
7. Serve hot.