Braised Rabbit In Tuscan Sauce

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/3 cups onions, minced
• 3/4 cup carrot, peeled and minced
• 3/4 cup celery, minced
• 1/4 cup italian parsley, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced (or 1 t. dried, crumbled)
• 42 ounces canned italian plum tomatoes, half the liquid drained
• 2 (3 lb) rabbits
• 2 cups dry white
• 6 bay leaves
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 inches fresh rosemary sprigs (or 1/4 t. dried, crumbled)
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 ounces pancetta, finely chopped

Recipe

• 1 for sauce.
• 2 heat oil in heavy 4-quart nonaluminum saucepan over medium heat.
• 3 add onion,carrot,celery and parsley and brown, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes.
• 4 add garlic and basil and cook 15 seconds.
• 5 mix in tomatoes.
• 6 reduce heat and simmer until reduced and thick,stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• 7 can be prepared 3 days ahead and refrigerated.
• 8 for rabbit.
• 9 remove long loin piece on each side of backbone by cutting between meat and bone with sharp knife.
• 10 halve each loin crosswise;cut off remaining meat from bones.
• 11 put rabbit meat in large bowl; mix in ,bay leaves,garlic, rosemary, pepper and cloves.
• 12 marinate at least 5 hours at cool room temperature or overnight in refrigerator, turning occasionally.
• 13 remove rabbit from marinade and pat dry;reserve marinade.
• 14 heat oil in nonaluminum heavy large skillet over medium heat.
• 15 add pancetta and brown, stirring frequently.
• 16 remove, using a slotted spoon.
• 17 add rabbit loins to skillet and sear on all sides; do not brown.
• 18 cool and refrigerate.
• 19 brown remaining rabbit meat over medium heat in batches(do not crowd).
• 20 transfer to heavy 5-quart saucepan, using a slotted spoon.
• 21 pour off all but 3 tablespoonfuls fat from skillet.
• 22 add pancetta to skillet and stir over medium heat 2 minutes;pour in marinade.
• 23 simmer until reduced to thick syrup, scraping up any browned bits, about 25 minutes.
• 24 pour over rabbit meat (keep loin refrigerated).
• 25 stir in tomato sauce;cover partially and simmer gently until rabbit meat is tender, about 25 minutes;cool.
• 26 refrigerate tomato mixture overnight(can be prepared 2 days ahead).
• 27 bring tomato mixture to a simmer;stir in loin pieces and simmer until tender, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.
• 28 discard bay leaves and fresh rosemary.
• 29 transfer rabbit mixture to platter.
• 30 serve immediately with polenta or pasta.