1 whole rabbit
1  large onion, diced large
6 ribs of celery, diced large
1 large carrots, peeled and slice ¼ inch thick
2 bay leaf
2   toes of garlic, leave whole
Enough cooking oil to coat the pot

METHOD:
Heat a large 8qt size pot with the cooking oil. Season the rabbit with salt and pepper inside and out. Brown the rabbit 10 minutes per side until a rich brown color is achieved. After the rabbit is browned all over take out and reserve, add rest of ingredients, turn heat down to med high and cook with lid on until vegetables are soft and slightly brown. Place rabbit back into pot and just enough water to cover, too much water will dilute the flavor, so just add enough to cover. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook until falling off the bone. When tender take the rabbit out of pot and pick the meat from the bones, place the meat picked free of bones in a container and reserve for later use. Strain the rabbit broth into a plastic container and reserve.

The sauce piquant
1 stick of unsalted butter
½ cup of all purpose flour
2 large onions medium dice
6 ribs of celery medium dice
2 large green bell pepper medium dice
1 tbsp of chopped garlic, use more if u like garlic
1 can of tomatoes 12 oz
1 can of rotel  12 oz
1 lemon zested and juiced, I like to use a microplane zester
2  tbsp Salt, 1 tbsp pepper and hot sauce to taste, I like 2 tbsp

METHOD:
On medium high melt the stick of butter, add ½ cup of flour and stir with a wooden spoon until you achieve a dark roux color. Turn heat down to medium and add onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic. Place lid on  pot and cook for 15 minutes, then add can tomatoes and rotel cook for 15 more minutes with lid on. Then add lemon juice, zest, bay leaf, rabbit broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes and adjust seasonings to taste before you add the rabbit. Once the rabbit is in cook for 10 minutes and it’s done. Serve over Louisiana long grain rice and you have yourself one of my favorite wild game recipes.

I learned how to make this sauce piquant at a hunting camp in Bayou Pigeon from authentic Cajun named Benji. It was a squirrel sauce piquant at the time, although this recipe works with any wild game.