Rabbit Stifado

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.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4

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 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.