Rabbit étouffée with Baked Cheese Grits

Ingredients

• 8 ounces bacon chopped
• 2  bay leaves 
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 2 cups canned tomatoes with added puree canned crushed
• 2  carrots peeled chopped
• 2  celery stalks chopped
• 6 servings cheese 
• 2 cups wine dry red
• 6  garlic clove chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth 
• 3 pound strips. frozen thawed cut into 8 pieces, or 3 1/2 pounds chicken thighs
• 1 large onion red chopped
• 6 large thyme sprigs fresh

Equipment

• bowl
• paper towels
• oven
• pot

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Sauté bacon in wide ovenproof pot over medium heat until crisp.
2. Transfer bacon to paper towels.
3. Sprinkle rabbit with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high. Working in batches, add rabbit to pot and sauté until browned, turning often, about 10 minutes per batch.
4. Transfer to large bowl.
5. Add 1 tablespoon butter to pot; add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
6. Add garlic, thyme, and bay leaves; stir 1 minute. Return rabbit and bacon to pot.
7. Add wine; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to boil. Cover pot tightly.
8. Transfer to oven and cook rabbit until very tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; spoon grits alongside.