Rabbit Stifado

evelyn/athens's Note:

Most people are familiar with beef stifado but, traditionally, this wonderful dish is made with rabbit or wild hare. In my opinion, the rabbit version is far better than the beef.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 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 sauté 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.

Reviews

[Dr. Jenny]

We really enjoyed this rabbit recipe. I marinated the rabbit overnight. The sauce smelled wonderful while it was cooking. It reminded me of the smell of mulled wine. I served the rabbit over mashed potatoes to soak up the extra sauce. Thanks for posting!

[Chef Misti #401366]

I was given a couple of rabbits and decided to look up a different way of cooking them and this is it. This is not only easy it tastes great and my husband and father in law loved it, I had no leftovers so that should tell you something! I will continue to use this one.

[Mia #3]

I just love rabbit, and since I raise my own, I can pretty well have it at anytime. I must admit this is a fantastic reciepe, I just didn't care for the cinnamon, so I did it again but with out the cinnamon stick, and it was fabuluos. Thank you so much for sharring this receipe with all of us receipe lovers!!!!!!!LOL!!