It's all in the game: Braised rabbit in Redwine

This is a recipe that I found in a German food magazine and Linda had bought a whole rabbit at the weekend and had asked me how to buther it, I said leave it whole and braise it as per the recipe.

So you shall require

1 dressed rabbit (remove the offal and inner filets, I was going to use them as part of my game Terri Yaki) (leave the head on it adds to the flavour)

2 ltr strong redwine
1 stick of cellery
2 carrots
a couple of bay leaves (I brought a couple of twigs from my balcony bay bush)
1small bunch of thyme
2 fennel bulbs
2 artichocks (remove hard outer leaves, stalk and straw choke)

squeeze some lemon juice to stop decolouration

10 waxy potatoes
olive oil.
Salt and pepper (freshly ground)

Make a couple of bouquette garni consisting of carrots, celery, bay and thyme. Place with the rabbit in a roasting tin, pour over the wine and allow to marinate in a cool place for a few hours (overnight is best).

If the rabbit is not completely covered then turn it halfway through.

Remove the rabbit from the marinade, pat dry with kitchen paper, oil it and rub in some salt and pepper.

Place in a pre-heated oven (180degrees for 10 minutes), along with the bouquette garni, now add the marinade a bit at a time. Cut the artichokes and fenchel into segments, peel and half the potatoes and add to the rabbit after about 20 minutes.

Salt and pepper and continue to cook for about 1hour in total.

If the sauce is a little thin, pour into a small saucepan and bubble up you can add a bit of butter/flour to thicken and gloss and pour over the Bunny. (this we done the next day)