Instructions: Cut rabbit into serving-size pieces, reserve liver & blood to thicken sauce. Combine 2 cups wine, 1/2 tsp thyme, chopped onion, celery, carrots, bay leaves & all peppercorns in glass bowl. Place rabbit in marinade, turn to coat, cover & refrigerate 24 hours, turning often. Preheat oven to 350. Remove meat from marinade & pat dry. Strain marinade, reserve vegetables & strained marinade separately. Heat bacon drippings in large skillet until very hot. Add meat & brown on all sides. Add remaining thyme & reserved vegetables. Turn into casserole; bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Stir in remaining wine, reserved marinade, mushrooms & broth. Cover & bake 2-3 hours longer until nearly tender. Meanwhile, steam pearl onions until almost tender. Set aside. Melt 3 Tbs butter in small skillet; add mushroom caps & cook until light golden. Also simmer salt pork in small amount of water. Drain, saute until browned. When rabbit is nearly tender, stir in salt pork. Finely chop liver; stir liver & blood into rabbit mixture.

Arrange pearl onions & mushroom caps in ring around rabbit; cover & return to oven. Bake until all vegetables are tender & meat is very tender. Taste & adjust seasonings. If sauce is thin, remove most of it with a ladle & reserve. Melt 1/3 cup butter in a skillet; stir in flour to make a roux.

When roux is golden, stir in reserved sauce a little at a time, cooking until smooth & thickened. To serve, spoon sauce over rabbit & under onions & mushrooms, lifting them to spoon it in.

Makes 6 servings.

NOTE: For a hotter version, increase amount of peppercorns.

TIME INCLUDES 24-HOURS MARINATE

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