Stephencooks

Braised Rabbit

Serves 4.

1 rabbit, about 3 lb
2 cups flour
2 tsp salt
1 medium onion, chopped
olive oil
1 T tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T fresh rosemary, minced
2 T flatleaf parsley, minced
zest of one lemon
2" cinnamon stick
1-1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 cup hearty red wine
1 T cognac
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
hot sauce to taste

Cut the rabbit into 6 pieces and trim, reserving the internal organs. Put the rabbit pieces, flour and salt in a plastic bag and shake well to coat. Lift the rabbit pieces from the bag and discard the bag and remaining flour.

In a heavy ovenproof pan, large enough to eventually hold all the ingredients, brown the rabbit over high heat on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. Remove to a side plate.

In the same pan, sauté the onion slowly in some olive oil on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and rosemary and stir another minute or two. Return the rabbit to the pan and add the parsley, zest, cinnamon, tomato paste, chicken broth, red wine and rabbit organs. Cover and simmer very slowly about an hour.

Remove rabbit to a warmed plate. Remove rabbit organs, mince and return them to the pot.  (If desired, for a smoother sauce, scrape the sauce from the pot, deglaze with the cognac and 1/4 C water and scrape all the bits into the sauce, then purée; wipe out any remaining bits in the the pot and return sauce to the pot.) Raise heat, add the cognac (if you didn't choose to purée the sauce) and vinegar, and reduce sauce slightly, stirring. Correct seasoning.

To serve, place a pool if the sauce on a warmed platter and top with the rabbit pieces. Spoon more sauce over the rabbit if desired. Garnish with parsley or rosemary sprigs.