Rabbit With Soft Fruits And Peppers

Ingredients

1 rabbit, about 4 pounds, cut up
2 Tbs. salt-free Creole seasoning
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. flour
4 Tbs. butter
2 oz. brandy
2 cloves
8 ripe apricots or 3 peaches, peeled and pitted
1/2 cup late-harvest white wine (Chappellet Late-Harvest Chenin Blanc is what I used for testing this)
1/2 tsp. Tabasco
1 1/2 cups cooked rice, or rice and wild rice blend

1
Rinse and dry the rabbit pieces. Combine the Creole seasoning, salt and flour, and coat the rabbit pieces with the mixture.
2
Heat the butter in a heavy skillet. Brown the rabbit pieces all around. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3
Add the brandy to the pan and bring to a boil while whisking the pan to dissolve the browned bits at the bottom. Careful! The brandy can catch fire, which is okay for flavor but potentially dangerous!
4
When most of the brandy has evaporated, add 1/2 cup of water to the pan, along with the cloves, apricots and the rabbit pieces. Lower the pan to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the rabbit legs are tender.
5
Remove the rabbit pieces and keep warm. Add the wine and Tabasco, and bring to a boil. Reduce for five minutes, then pour the pan contents into a food processor. Puree, then strain.
6
Clean the pan and return the sauce and the rabbit to it, simmering until everything is hot and combined. Add a little water if the sauce is too thick, and salt and pepper to taste.
7
Serve with rice.