BRAISED MARINATED RABBIT WITH PRUNES
6 servings
Combine in a large bowl:
- 3 cups dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Cut into 7 serving pieces:
- One 3 ½-pound rabbit
Add the rabbit to the bowl, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 and up to 24 hours.
Cook in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat until browned and rendered:
- 6 ounces bacon, diced
Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Remove the rabbit from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and pat dry. Season with:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Add the rabbit pieces to the pot and lightly brown on both sides. Transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, until starting to brown slightly:
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Slowly whisk in the reserved marinade. Bring to a boil and return the bacon and rabbit to the pan. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Add:
- 1 ½ cups pitted prunes
Cover and simmer until the rabbit is tender, about 20 minutes more. Meanwhile, melt in a skillet over medium heat:
- 2 tablespoons butter
Add and cook, stirring until lightly browned, about 15 minutes:
- 1 cup pearl onions, peeled
- 8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
Transfer the rabbit and prunes to a deep serving dish and cover to keep warm. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Scoop out about ½ cup of the sauce from the Dutch oven and add to the skillet with the mushrooms, scraping the skillet with a wooden spatula to loosen any browned bits. Add the pearl onions, mushrooms, and pan juices to the sauce in the Dutch oven and boil over high heat until slightly thickened and the pearl onions are tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Season with:
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or sherry vinegar
- (2 teaspoons red currant jelly or apricot preserves)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes more. Pour the sauce over the rabbit and serve immediately, sprinkled with:
- Chopped parsley, tarragon, or a combination