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
- 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.
- 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.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring to the boil mixing well then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 1 hour.
- 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.
- 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.