Rabbit stew with lentils

This sounds a bit worthy but is actually really great - big strong flavours- perfect for autumn. People who won't eat rabbit can use chicken pieces instead...Double all the ingredients apart from the rabbit if its for 3 or more people. You could put in turnip, buttersquah,swede or mushrooms in this too



a sectioned piece of rabbit ( leg, shoulder) per person
2 tbsp flour
500ml vegetable stock
several sprigs of thyme
1 bayleaf
1 large onion
2 carrots
1 clove garlic
250ml red wine maybe a merlot?
3 tablespoons creme fraiche
60g green lentils per person

Method
1.Chop the onion in to small pieces and cook in a little oil until softened in a large casserole dish or saucepan with a lid. cook the crushed garlic for a minute
2.Peel and roughly chop carrot
3. Lightly brown the rabbit all over in the same pan as the onion.
4.Add the stock and red wine into the pan and leave to simmer.
5. Add the carrot and herbs to the pan.
6.Stir in the flour until most of the lumps have gone. Dont worry about the rest - they will go when cooked
7. Cook at a barely simmer on the hob top for 1hr- 1hr and a half, until the rabbit is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Alternatively You could also cook it at 130C in the oven for 2hrs.
8.After 1/2 hour start cooking the lentils by boiling them in water. when they are cooked ( still firm but not hard) rinse them and add them to the casserole dish.
9. Just before serving take the casserole off the heat and add the cream and stir in.
9. Serve a rabbit piece per person, with lots of the sauce and the carrots and lentils and the the same red wine you used in the casserole.