Rabbit Stew

Ingredients

140g prune

50ml brandy

50g soft brown sugar

2 rabbits, jointed

plain flour, for dusting

1 tbsp vegetable oil

3 rashers smoked streaky bacon, sliced into thin strips

2 carrots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

150ml red wine, the best you can afford

250ml chicken stock

chopped parsley and wild rice, to serve

Method
STEP 1
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.

STEP 2
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.

STEP 3
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.