Cooking time: About 2 hours

Chef Eric Gonzalez of Auberge Saint-Gabriel

1. Heat the oil in a cocotte or Dutch oven.
2. Flour the rabbit pieces and tap off the excess. Brown them on all sides in the hot oil. Set aside on a plate.
3. Sauté the carrot and shallot lightly in the cocotte; add the tomato paste and mix with a wooden spoon until colored.
4. Deglaze with the white wine; add the rabbit pieces, crushed tomatoes, garlic, thyme, orange zest, veal stock, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 90 minutes.
5. Remove the rabbit pieces, thyme and orange zest.
6. Reduce the sauce to a nice consistency; add the sage and olives just before serving.
7. Serve over fresh pasta, polenta or Parmesan risotto, drizzling with extra-virgin olive oil just before serving.

Amorino Podere Castorani 2006, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Italy (red wine)