Sweet and Sour Braised Rabbit with Chocolate | Rialto Restaurant

Ingredients

• 2 rabbits (about 3 pounds each)
• ¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon mace
• About ½ cup all-purpose flour for dredging
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed
• ¼ pound thickly sliced pancetta, chopped into ¼-inch dice
• 1 small onion, cut into ½-inch dice
• 12 shallots, peeled
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 2½ cups homemade chicken stock or 5 cups high-quality low-sodium canned chicken broth reduced to 2½ cups
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 cup Marsala
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar, or more to taste
• ¼ tablespoon crushed fennel seeds
• ¼ tablespoon crushed juniper berries
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1½ ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped