Rabbit And Prune Casserole Food

SLOW-COOKED RABBIT STEW

Steps:

• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Put the prunes in a bowl with the brandy and brown sugar, stir, then set aside to soak.
• Dust the rabbit in the flour. Heat the oil in a large flameproof dish and brown the rabbit all over until golden - you may have to do this in batches. Set the rabbit aside. Add the bacon, vegetables, garlic and herbs to the dish and fry for 5 mins until starting to colour.
• Pour in the red wine and scrape all the goodness off the bottom of the dish. Add the chicken stock and put the rabbit back in the dish with the boozy prunes, then cover and cook for 2 hrs, stirring occasionally, until the rabbit is totally tender. Serve scattered with parsley and wild rice on the side.

RABBIT AND PRUNE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Marinate rabbit overnight in a mixture of, wine, vinegar, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and prunes.
• Wipe the rabbit joints dry and lightly brown in butter.
• Transfer to a casserole dish and blend the flour into the remaining butter in the pan.
• Strain the wine mixture (put the prunes in the casserole and discard the herbs) add slowly to flour and butter, stirring over a low heat until the sauce thickens.
• Season to taste. Pour sauce over the rabbit and prunes, cover casserole and bake for 2 hours at 180 C.
• Cheers, Doreen Randal, Wanganui.
• New Zealand

RABBIT AND PRUNE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Put the prunes in a small saucepan and pour in the brandy. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, turning the prunes regularly, then set aside.
• Melt half the butter with the oil in a large frying pan. Season the rabbit all over and fry in batches for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Transfer the rabbit to a large flameproof casserole dish.
• Fry the bacon in the same pan for 4-5 minutes, or until the fat is crisp, adding a little extra oil if necessary. Scatter it over the rabbit. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Melt the remaining butter in the frying pan and gently fry the shallots for 5-6 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly.
• Stir the flour into the pan and cook for a few seconds before slowly adding the wine and half the stock, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens. Add the mustards, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer and season with a little salt and lots of pepper. Carefully pour the stock mixture into the casserole dish, along with the remaining stock, and bring everything to a simmer.
• Remove the casserole dish from the heat, cover with greaseproof paper and put the lid on. Bake for 1½-2 hours, or until the meat is very tender, contains no trace of pink and is starting to fall off the bone. Test the rabbit with a knife; if it doesn't slide in easily, return the casserole to the oven.
• Place the casserole back on the hob, remove the lid and stir in the cream, prunes and brandy. Simmer gently for a few minutes, until the prunes are hot, stirring carefully so the rabbit doesn't completely fall apart. Adjust the seasoning if needed, scatter with the parsley and serve with bread or Gruyère croutons.