First of all, reduce the rabbit into pieces.

With a sharped knife, separate the forelegs and the hind legs. Finally, quarter the saddle.

As I said, I strongly suggest you take this step! Pour 3 quarts of room temperature water into a bowl. Then, add 7.5 tbsp of table salt stirring until completely dissolved.

Finally, soak the rabbit pieces into the brine, cover, and store in the fridge at least 4 hours (best if 12 hours).

First, soak the dried porcini mushrooms into a bowl filled with lukewarm water for at least 15 minutes (best 30 mins).

Then, clean the Baby Bella mushrooms, discard the stems and cut the caps into halves.

Now, sautè the garlic, crushed and peeled, in a skillet (best if cast iron) along with 3 tbsp of olive oil until pale golden.

Then, add bay leaf and the Baby Bella mushrooms, and stir-fry until nicely brown and seared salting as needed.

Finally, pour the mushroom in a bowl and put it aside.

Now, raise the rabbit pieces from the wet brine, and dry them as much as possible with paper towels.

Then, season the meat with 1 tbsp of extra-virgin olive oil.

After that, sear the rabbit In the same skillet, a few pieces at a time until obtaining a nice crust in some parts of the meat pieces.

Finally, pour the meat aside, covered.

At this point, peel and mince the onion, then sautè until soft and golden along with the rosemary, crushed juniper berries, and cloves.

After that, add the rabbit, raise the flame and baste with the red wine. Cook 5 minutes more, then add the tomatoes puree.

Now, drain the Porcini mushrooms saving their liquid, and place them in a bowl.

Eventually, add the porcini liquid in the skillet, set the flame in order to let the sauce very gently simmering, then braise and cook 45 minutes.

In case you prefer do not use Porcini, add a ladle of vegetable broth instead of the Porcini liquid.

Finally, add the seared mushrooms and the Porcini, then simmer the Rabbit Cacciatore 30 minutes more, uncovered.

Serve Rabbit Cacciatore, along with grits, or Italian Polenta, or bread slices.