Winerabbit Recipes

Steps:

• In a large roasting pan put Crisco, onion and celery.
• Add 2 cut up rabbits; brown on both sides.
• Add bay leaves, peppercorns, rosemary, oregano, thyme and salt and pepper.
• Pour in red wine and vinegar; mix in flour.
• Bake at 325° for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or till tender.

Steps:

• Soak the shallots in boiling water for 5 mins, drain, then peel - this makes it a lot easier to remove the skins. While they are soaking, slice the rest of the vegetables. Heat a large, wide flameproof casserole dish, then add the lardons. Fry for 5 mins or until the fat has run from the meat, then tip in the vegetables and cook for 10 mins until golden and starting to soften. Tip into a bowl.
• Toss the rabbit meat with the flour, then tap off the excess. Heat half the butter and oil in the dish, then brown half the rabbit for 10 mins until golden all over. Add a good splash of water, scrape around the dish and tip the juices into a jug. Repeat with the second batch of rabbit, but use the wine to deglaze the pan this time, letting it reduce by about a third.
• Add the rabbit and the vegetables to the wine, pour in the stock, stir in the herbs and bring to a simmer. Cover, leaving just a small gap for steam to escape, then simmer for 1½-2 hrs or until the meat falls away from the bones. If you like a thicker sauce to your stew, you can lift out the meat and vegetables and boil the sauce to thicken it a little. To finish, heat the knob of butter in a frying pan and cook the mushrooms with salt, pepper and a few thyme leaves over a high heat until browned. Spoon these over the stew, sprinkle with thyme leaves and bring to the table.

Steps:

• In a large shallow bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients together and stir to mix well.
• Add rabbit pieces and baste them thoroughly.
• Cover the dish and leave to marinate over-night or at least 12 hours.
• Remove the rabbit from the marinade and dry on kitchen paper.
• Strain the marinade into a jug and reserve. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a flame-proof casserole, fry the bacon strips over moderate heat until they are quite crisp.
• Set aside. Add the onions, garlic and carrots to the fat in the casserole and cook them 5 - 6 minutes, or until lightly colored red.
• Add the rabbit pieces and turn frequently to brown them evenly and quickly.
• Add the reserved marinade to the casserole and bring to the boil.
• Remove casserole from the heat, add the bacon pieces and place in the oven.
• Cook for 1 hour or until the thigh of the rabbit is tender when pierced with a fork.