BRUNSWICK STEW (for six)

Residents of Brunswick, Georgia and Brunswick County, Virginia, are both fiercely protective of the provenance of this dish.

one 3 pound rabbit or chicken, cut with a cleaver through bones into 2 inch pieces

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon cayenne

¼ cup vegetable oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 Turkish or ½ California bay leaf

1-3/4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

one 28 ounce can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, reserving juice, and chopped

one 10 ounce package frozen corn

one 10 ounce package frozen lima beans

simmered greens with cornmeal dumplings, to accompany

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1.   Pat rabbit dry and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.  Whisk together flour and cayenne in a small bowl, then dredge rabbit in flour shaking off excess.

2.  Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide 6 to 7 quart heavy pot over medium heat until it shimmers.  Brown half the rabbit, turning once, about 10 minutes total.  Transfer to a plate.  Add 1 tablespoon oil to pot and brown remaining rabbit.  Transfer to plate.

3.   Add remaining tablespoon oil to pot along with onion, bell pepper, garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, until vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes.

4.   Add bay leaf, broth, tomatoes and juice and rabbit with any meat juices from plate and bring to a simmer.  Simmer, covered, 50 minutes.

5.   Stir in corn and lima beans, then simmer, uncovered, until stew is slightly thickened and vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and discard the bay leaf.

from Gourmet Magazine, January, 2008