Rabbit Stifado

Name: Rabbit Stifado
Ingredients: 1 large rabbit, jointed (approximately 3 1/2 pounds); 2 bay leaves; 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar (balsamic also works nicely); 1/2 cup olive oil; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1/3 teaspoon sugar; 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped; 1 small cinnamon stick (about a 3-inch length); 4 whole allspice; 1 sprig rosemary; 2/3 cup red wine; 1 1/4 cups hot water; salt and black pepper; 1 1/2 lbs white pearl onions, peeled, left whole

14 ingredients

6 steps

Ingredients

1 large rabbit, jointed (approximately 3 1/2 pounds)
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar (balsamic also works nicely)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 teaspoon sugar
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 small cinnamon stick (about a 3-inch length)
4 whole allspice
1 sprig rosemary
2/3 cup red wine
1 1/4 cups hot water
salt and black pepper
1 1/2 lbs white pearl onions, peeled, left whole

Directions

1

Rinse the rabbit pieces and place them in a mixing bowl together with the bay leaves and vinegar; mix well and leave to marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight; remove the rabbit from the marinade and pat dry with kitchen paper.
2

Heat half of the olive oil in a large saucepan until hot, add the rabbit and fry the pieces until quite brown on all sides; add the tomato paste, bay leaves (left over from the marinade), sugar, garlic, spices, wine and the hot water.
3

Season with salt and pepper.
4

Bring to the boil mixing well then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 1 hour.
5

Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan; add the onions and saute gently for 15 minutes stirring occasionally, until golden all over; after the rabbit has been cooking for 1 hour, add the onions and oil from the frying pan to the saucepan; combine, then re-cover and simmer for a further 15 minutes; fish out the cinnamon stick, allspice berries and rosemary sprig.
6

Note: This can be served with pasta, noodles, rice or oven-roasted potatoes, but my personal favourite is homemade french-fries, which taste delicious dunked in the spicy sauce.