Rabbit With Prunes

Submitted by evelynathens

"If you've never had rabbit but are willing to try, do try this recipe. Sweet and savoury - rabbit meat is good eating."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1 lb pitted prune
• 1⁄2 cup cognac or 1/2 cup brandy
• 3 lbs rabbit, cut into serving pieces, liver reserved
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 2 small bay leaves
• butter
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1⁄2 cup creme fraiche

directions

1. In a small glass or ceramic bowl, macerate the prunes in the cognac for at least 1 hour.
2. In another bowl, combine the rabbit, olive oil, thyme, bay leaves and enough white wine to cover, and chill mixture, covered, overnight.
3. Transfer rabbit with a slotted spoon to a plate, reserving marinade.
4. Pat it dry and season.
5. Brown rabbit in butter over moderately-high heat and transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate.
6. Add onion and cook until softened.
7. Add rabbit and any juices that have accumulated and 2 tblsps flour, and cook mixture, turning rabbit to coat with flour, for 3 minutes.
8. Add marinade, 1/3 of prunes, including 1 tblsp of cognac, broth, garlic, shallot, tomato paste and season.
9. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes, or until rabbit is tender.
10. Add reserved liver, chopped, and simmer 5 minutes.
11. Transfer rabbit and prunes with slotted spoon to a plate.
12. Skim cooking liquid, strain it into another pot and add crème fraiche, rabbit, prunes, and remaining prunes and season to taste.
13. Simmer until rabbit is heated through.

Reviews

[Anonymous]

This is a great recipe which I cook often, though I forego the creme fraiche at the end. It's rich enough already. This recipe is a superb way of counteracting the dryness of rabbit flesh. However, an Australian wild rabbit takes a lot longer to cook than 25 or 35 minutes. Try 90 minutes over low heat with all these delicious flavours. And 3 rabbits is far too many to tackle at once. Try one, and cut back the other ingredients by a half or more. Finally, be sensible about the prunes. One rabbit makes 3-4 serves, so I start off with a maximum of 12 prunes marinating in brandy to cover.