Anonymous Fri Oct 07 11:07:57 2005

1-1/2 tbsp. clarified butter

6 rabbit hind legs

salt and pepper, to taste

1-1/2 tbsp. carrots, pared, brunoise

1-1/2 tbsp. celery, brunoise

1-2/3 tbsp. leeks, brunoise

2-1/3 tsp. smoked bacon, brunoise

2-1/3 tsp. reduced tomato stock (see

Roast Garlic Puree recipe)

3 oz. Pinot Noir

5-1/2 oz. rabbit stock

1-1/3 oz. Tomato-Garlic Puree

SACHET

1/2 bay leaf

1 thyme stem

1 tsp. peppercorns, cracked

1 juniper berry, crushed

1 tsp. ginger root, grated

1 tsp. jerk spice

Place clarified butter in heavy saute pan; heat to smoke point. Season rabbit legs with salt and pepper; place in smoking butter. Sear quickly until golden. Remove legs; reserve.

Discard three-fourths of remaining fat. Add carrots, celery, leeks and bacon; saute. Add reduced tomato stock. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are browned. De-glaze with Pinot Noir; reduce until almost dry. Add rabbit stock; reduce by half.

Pipe tomato-garlic puree onto reserved legs; place in reduced liquid. Position sachet. Cover; braise at 300 degrees F for 25 minutes. Check for tenderness; legs can be braised an additional 15 minutes if necessary. Remove legs. Cover; reserve warm. Remove cooking liquid to saucepan; heat to simmering. Reduce to desired consistency. Degrease; adjust seasoning. Reserve warm.

NOTE: Brunoise is the method of cutting vegetables in a very fine, tiny dice.