Braised Rabbit with Prunes

Summary

Ingredients

• 1 rabbit, approx. 2 kg
• 24 plum (s), dried
• Tea, strong, black (e.g. Earl Gray)
• 150 g bacon (pork belly), smoked, diced
• 2 tablespoon lard
• 2 carrot (s)
• 1 handful shallot (s)
• 0.5 ½ bottle white wine, dry (Pinot Blanc or Chardonnay)
• 300 g cream
• 1 lemon (s)
• thyme
• salt
• Peppercorns, black, crushed

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Instructions

1. Soak the prunes in strong black tea for at least 2 hours. Drain and remove most of the pits, leaving some whole prunes uncut.
2. Ask the butcher to cut the rabbit into 9 pieces: 4 legs, 3 back sections, and 2 rib flaps. Pat the pieces dry with paper towels.
3. Heat the lard in an oval roaster over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook for about 3-4 minutes until starting to brown.
4. Add the rabbit pieces to the roaster and sear slowly over medium heat for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. The meat should be light brown, not dark. Season generously with salt and about 1/2 tablespoon of crushed black peppercorns. Add more lard as needed.
5. Remove the three back sections and set aside on a plate.
6. Peel the shallots and leave them whole. Wash the carrots and chop them roughly. Add both to the roaster along with a pinch of dried thyme and lightly roast for about 5 minutes over medium heat.
7. Pour in the white wine until it comes about halfway up the meat.
8. Cover the roaster with a lid. Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F), transfer the roaster to the oven, and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (356°F).
9. Braise the 6 rabbit pieces at 180°C for 40 minutes, checking and turning them every 20 minutes. Add more wine if the liquid level drops significantly.
10. After 40 minutes of braising, add the drained prunes and the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue braising.
11. After 20 more minutes of braising (1 hour total braising time), add the reserved back sections back to the roaster. Cover and continue braising for the final 30 minutes.
12. After the additional 30 minutes of braising (1.5 hours total braising time), check the sauce consistency. If it is too thin, either continue cooking uncovered in the oven for another 10-15 minutes, or carefully transfer the roaster to the stovetop and simmer the sauce over medium-high heat until it reaches your desired thickness.
13. Remove from heat. Squeeze in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Add a splash more cream or wine if you want to adjust the flavor, or reduce the sauce further over high heat if it is still too thin.
14. Serve with narrow ribbon noodles.