Les Pruneaux d’Agen or Prune d’Ente are the sweet souvenirs of forgotten crusaders of the thirteenth century who returned to France from Syria with the new fruit.  They called it the “plum date.”  The fruit was presented to monks at the abbey in Clariac, and it was they who were among the first to graft the new variety to wild plum trees and transform the ripe fruit into long-conserving pruneaux, or prunes.

The passionate cultivation of grafted trees is followed throughout the year as closely and carefully as the grape production for wine.  Clouds of white plum blossoms frost the orchards in spring. Hailstone storms and spring frosts threaten the early buds and orchard owners fret at every weather report. By mid-summer the dark green canopy of leaves is burdened by hundreds of purple plums and the weight of the heavy fruit visibly pulls the branches closer to the earth. As harvest in August and September approaches, the ripening fruit sports a pale blue blush giving the illusion that the whole orchard is covered with a violet netting.

Once gathered by hand in the apron skirts of quaintly coifed girls of the Agenais,  the harvested plums, are now machine-gathered and sent by tractors to waiting ovens. Washed, sorted, and graded, the plums are placed on trays in single layers and put into enormous ovens to cook for 24 hours. The lost moisture wrinkles the plums, but the slow cooking also transforms the sweet fruit flesh into a dark and sugary jam. Each plum, now a prune, is like a concentrated, self-contained package of flavor and natural sugar.  The prunes are then racked, bagged, and rehydrated before packing. And all of this is done without chemicals or preservatives. From this point, prune delicacies are made– prunes steeped in wine or armagnac and syrup or pitted prunes filled with marzipan or other flavored fillings; dipped in chocolate; wrapped, boxed, and ribboned, they are a special gift from the Agen area.

In Gascon homes, prunes soaking in eau-de-vie wait in stoneware jars to be served to visiting guests just as we would offer a cup of coffee. In the kitchen the flavors they add to a meal are memorable–Roast Pork Stuffed with Prunes and Shallots, Prune and Merquez Sausage Brochettes, tiny quail stuffed with just one plump armagnac-steeped prune and of course my signature dish here at Camont- Lapin aux Pruneaux d’Agen.

This recipe is a Birthday present to Podchef and comes from my Gascon cookbook- A Culinary Journey in Gascony.

Lapin aux Pruneaux

1 rabbit (A large stewing rabbit rather than fryer, if you have a choice.)

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 oz (60 gr) lardons or bacon, diced

2 onions, cut in quarters

2 shallots, halved

2 tablespoons duck fat or oil

2 tablespoons flour

4 carrots, cut in chunks

2 branches celery, cut in chunks

2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

18 prunes, pitted

1 bottle red wine minus 1 glass

1- Joint the rabbit into even pieces and season with salt and pepper.

2- In a large stewing pan with a lid, place the bacon and cook over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and shallots and cook until they start to brown. Remove from pan and set aside.

3- Place the fat or oil in the hot pan and add the rabbit pieces. Sprinkle with the flour and brown on all sides. Add the carrots and celery and return the onions and shallots to the pan. Place the thyme, parsley, and half of the prunes in the pan. Pour the wine over the rabbit and make sure it is just covered by the liquid, adding some water if needed.

4- Cover and cook over very low heat for 60-75 minutes. Never let the mixture boil, rather it should just simmer.

5- When the rabbit is very tender and starting to fall off of the bone remove to a hot platter and hold in a warm oven. Add the remaining prunes to the sauce and with the lid off, reduce the liquid by 1/3 by simmering briskly. Serve the rich, dark sauce with the vegetables and prunes over the rabbit alongside a generous helping of  patates estoufees or la cruchade.

Bonne Anniversaire Podchef!