Belgian Rabbit in Wine

Description
This great Belgian Rabbit recipe will make 6 to 8 people very happy ! Good cooking skills required to bring this dish to its fullest potential ! Enjoy !

Ingredients

 * 2 rabbits (2½ lbs ea) or 1 hare cut serving pieces
 * rabbit livers
 * 2 large onions
 * bay leaf
 * 2½ cup red burgundy wine
 * 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
 * juice of 1 lemon
 * 1 pinch dried thyme
 * ½ tsp salt
 * ¼ tsp freshly-ground black pepper
 * 5½ tbsp butter
 * 1 tart apple peeled, cored, and chopped
 * 2 shallots minced
 * 2 cups beef broth
 * 2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in
 * 1 tbsp water
 * 1 tsp kitchen bouquet

Directions

 * 1) Slice 1 onion thin and break into rings.
 * 2) Put onion rings, rabbit, and bay leaf in a shallow bowl.
 * 3) Pour on a mixture of wine, vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, salt, and pepper.
 * 4) Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours; less time for young rabbits.
 * 5) Drain rabbit.
 * 6) Reserve marinade and onion rings but discard bay leaf.
 * 7) Chop livers and saute in 2 tablespoons of the butter.
 * 8) Chop remaining onion and add with apple to livers.
 * 9) Saute until onion is soft.
 * 10) Add 1 cup of the reserved marinade and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
 * 11) Melt remaining butter and brown rabbit well on all sides.
 * 12) Add shallots, reserved onion rings, rest of marinade, and beef broth.
 * 13) Simmer, covered, for about 1 hour, or until tender.
 * 14) Remove rabbit and keep warm.
 * 15) Puree liver mixture in a blender.
 * 16) Stir liver puree, cornstarch mix, and kitchen bouquet into pan liquid.
 * 17) Cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened.
 * 18) Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes more.
 * 19) Serve the sauce with the rabbit.