Walking the Hedge

Buy one rabbit from local Pagan organic homesteader. Do so out of his trunk in a parking garage like some strange drug deal in a movie. Rabbit comes dressed in a big freezer bag.

Bring the kill home in a canvas shopping bag.

Make boyfriend whose totem is Rabbit (or Hare) cut meat off the bones. Poor sod.

Toss larger bones in a pot of water to simmer meat off bones so you can practice wicked witcheries with them at a later date.

In a Dutch oven or a very large ceramic skillet pour some olive oil and put on low heat. Chop onions, a tomato or two and garlic and put them in the pan.

Add a bay leaf or two, rosemary, savory, sage, parsley, ground black pepper and sea salt.

Cook this until onions (etc) are nice and translucent or brown-y or whatever. I like my onions and such to basically disintegrate into the stew by the time it’s done, as I can’t stand their texture but like the taste.

Turn heat up to medium-high and add chopped rabbit meat. Push content in pan around at random with wooden spoon while the dog sits at your feet drooling. Sneak tiny piece to dog who thinks she is starving.

Give some blood and raw meat to Pagan Gods, scavenger and predatory Totems (mine!), to house spirits … who are also drooling.

Once meat has begun to brown, pour about ½ to 1 cup of merlot on the lot. Continue stirring around as meat gets pink-ish from the wine.

Add enough water and cover with lid, set to medium-low heat and simmer for at least half an hour but best if you can wait one or two hours.

Begin chopping potatoes, turnips, and carrots. And then add to the pot, along with peas.

Let simmer until root vegetables are ready.

It should be boiled down enough now to thicken. Reduce heat slightly.

In a cup or small bowl, mix a small amount of flour and corn starch (or gravy mix) with water and wine. And add to pot.

Stir like a mad woman so it thickens just right.

Turn off heat and let cool enough to serve.

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1. White Sauce