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Rabbit with Agen prunes and polenta
Serves 4
Preparation time
30 mins to 1 hour
Cooking time
1 to 2 hours
Ingredients
1 large young rabbit, jointed into 8 pieces salt and freshly ground black pepper3 tbsp duck or goose fat2oz/50g thick-cut rindless streaky bacon, cut into lardons (short fat strips)6 button onions, peeled6 shallots, peeled and split in two2 tbsp plain flour4 carrots, cut on the diagonal into small chunks2 fat celery sticks, cut on the diagonal into small chunkslarge bouquet garni made from thyme sprigs, bay leaves and rosemary18 dried Agen prunesbottle of gutsy red wine, such as a Côtes de GascogneFor the polenta1.2 litres/2 pints 2¼fl oz water175g/6¼oz polenta (not the instant type)butter, to taste2 tsp salt
Method
1. Season the rabbit pieces with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 2. Heat a large, deep frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the duck fat and bacon lardons and fry until golden brown. 3. Add the onions and shallots and continue to fry until they are nicely golden all over, then lift everything onto a plate and set to one side. 4. Add the rabbit pieces to the pan and fry until lightly golden. Turn over and fry until golden on the other side, then sprinkle over the flour and turn once more. 5. Add the carrots and celery to the pan, together with the bacon lardons, onions, bouquet garni and half the prunes. 6. Pour over all but one glass of the red wine (which is for the cook) to just cover the rabbit - if it doesn' t, add a little water. 7. Lay the rabbit liver on top if you have it, cover and leave to simmer gently for one hour, removing the liver when it' s cooked, after about 10-15 minutes. You are not intending to serve the liver with the rest of the dish; it' s more of a chef' s perk, to go with the wine, while you are doing the cooking. 8. Meanwhile, bring the water for the polenta to the boil in a medium-sized pan. Very slowly pour in the polenta, stirring all the time, then lower the heat and leave it to simmer very gently, stirring now and then, for one hour. 9. When the rabbit is cooked, lift the pieces, together with the vegetables, out of the sauce onto a warmed serving platter, but leave the prunes behind. Cover and keep warm.10. Remove and discard the bouquet garni, and then crush the prunes into the sauce with the back of a wooden spoon.11. Add the remaining prunes to the pan, increase the heat and simmer quite vigorously until the prunes have heated through and the liquid has reduced to a well-flavoured sauce. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.12. Stir a little butter, salt and some pepper into the polenta and transfer to a warmed serving dish. 13. Spoon the sauce back over the rabbit and vegetables and serve with the polenta.
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