LSUZombie's Rabbit Stew (recipe and pic)

My dad bought me two rabbits and they had been sitting in the freezer for a few months now. I didn't want to make a fricassee or a etoufee. I wanted to try something different. So I came across this British recipe, made some modifications, and what I made was a rich, delicious, luxurious dish.


Ingredients:
6 oz prunes
2 oz brandy
2 oz soft brown sugar
2 rabbits, jointed
plain flour, for dusting
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 pieces of bacon, sliced into thin strips
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
6 oz red wine, I used a Cab Sav
16 oz chicken stock
chopped parsley, to garnish
rice, to serve (I used Louisiana jasmine rice)

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 pot 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 10 mins until starting to soften.

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 prunes.

Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 1.5 hrs, stirring occasionally, until the rabbit is tender.

Serve scattered with parsley and over rice.