Hessenpfeffer

I've been wanting to cook rabbit for a long long time. Petty's sells it very cheap, at less than $5 for a whole rabbit, how could I resist? Granted, this one definitely wasnt near the size that the critter I ate in Paris must have been, but yummy none-the-less. Tastes just like chicken... but is much leaner and is said to have more protein. So why not?

I served this with potato pancakes I made from leftover mashed potatos, some flour & scallions, fried in a bit of oil.

INGREDIENTS
1 Rabbit, cut into service pieces
1 tsp Chopped Parsley
3 Tbsp Butter
½ tsp Thyme
½ tsp Salt
1 Bay Leaf
1 medium Onion
¼ cup Lemon Juice
4 Whole Cloves
1 cup Port Wine
12 Whole Black Peppercorns
2½ cup Beef Stock

METHOD
Stud the peeled onion with the whole cloves. Make a small bouquet garni by tying the peppercorns, parsley, thyme and bay leaf in a small cheesecloth pouch. Preheat oven to 350° F.

Sprinkle rabbit pieces with salt and pepper and sauté in the butter until brown on all sides. Place in a 3 quart casserole. Add salt, bouquet garni and studded onion, followed by the lemon juice, port and stock or boullion. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Ten minutes before it's done, remove the cheesecloth bag. The pan juices can be thickened to make a gravy.

(I modified this recipe slightly by marinating the rabbit in the port, lemon juice, and about 1/2 cup of vinegar for 3 hours beforehand)