A lynx's dinner

That rabbit recipe I promised:

1 big rabbit about 1.5-2 kilos, cut into small pieces
4 cloves garlic
2 onions, sliced
A can of tomatoes or half a kilo of chopped fresh tomatoes
Bay leaves and sprigs of thyme, tarragon, rosemary, whatever you fancy and have to hand
A slug of brandy
A glass of wine
Salt and pepper to taste
More herbs to serve (parsley, probably)
Oil
Brown all the pieces of rabbit, season and keep aside. Make a sofrito of onions, garlic and tomatoes in a casserole dish, preferably a clay cazuela. Add the herbs (retaining a small handful for finishing) and put the rabbit back in the pan. Pour in the brandy and set it alight. When it's burned off, add the wine. Bring to a boil and let the sauce reduce and thicken a bit. Then add water to at least cover the meat. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for anywhere between an hour for a tender farmed animal to two for a tough old wild one. Check it every twenty minutes or so and top up the liquid if it needs it, making sure it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan. You could do it in an oven, in which case you could probably forget about it for a good while. When it's done, check seasoning and sprinkle the reserved green herbs. This is one of those dishes that British people think should be served with rice, but the Spanish would serve it with fried potatoes or, in the Alpujarra, papas a lo pobre. I fancy pasta with it, personally. A good green salad and plenty of bread and wine are of course essential.