Rabbit With Prunes

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 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 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

Recipe

• 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 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.