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1
Using small knife or boning knife, starting at top of each thigh bone, cut meat from bone, pushing and scraping as necessary, down to the leg bone.
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2
Cut off and reserve thigh bones.
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3
Leave leg bone intact and attached to boned thigh.
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4
Place pieces in a flat dish and sprinkle with 4 tablespoons each of chopped onion and celery, carrot rounds, syrup, 2 tablespoons wine, basil, tarragon, thyme, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne and salt.
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5
Blend well and set aside to marinate, preferably overnight in refrigerator.
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6
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450 degrees.
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7
Place reserved rabbit bones in one layer in a small skillet and place in oven.
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8
Bake until well browned, 30 to 40 minutes.
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9
Remove from oven but do not turn off oven.
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10
Add remaining 8 tablespoons of wine and the water and bring to boil on top of stove.
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11
Cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes, or until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup.
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12
Discard bones and set sauce aside.
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13
Put crab meat in a bowl.
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14
Heat butter in a small skillet and add remaining 2 tablespoons each of onion and celery, along with sweet pepper and garlic.
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15
Cook briefly, stirring, and add to crab meat.
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16
Add mustard, remaining 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, sherry, lemon juice, bread crumbs, cream, salt and pepper to taste.
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17
Blend well with fingers.
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18
Open up thigh cavity of each leg and fill with equal portions of crab mixture.
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19
Press around top of thigh to compact the filling.
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20
Arrange stuffed legs in one layer in a baking dish.
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21
Bake in oven 30 minutes.
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22
To serve, cut each thigh crosswise into four pieces of equal size.
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23
Serve with the reheated sherry sauce spooned over.
