Italian cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Coniglio alla Ligure

Ligurian rabbit slowly braised with Taggiasca olives, pine nuts, rosemary and white wine.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1 rabbit (cut into pieces, approx. 1.4 kg)
• 120 g Taggiasca olives (or black olives as substitute)
• 40 g pine nuts
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 250 ml white wine
• 200 ml chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Rinse the rabbit pieces, pat thoroughly dry, salt and pepper, and let sit at room temperature for 20 min.; toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for 2 min. until light brown.
2. Heat olive oil in a heavy braising pot and brown the rabbit pieces in batches for 10 min. until golden all over, then return all pieces to the pot.
3. Add the crushed garlic cloves, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf and cook for 2 min. until the herbs are fragrant.
4. Deglaze with the white wine and let it reduce uncovered for 6–8 min. until the smell of alcohol has gone, then pour in the stock.
5. Braise covered over low heat for 45 min., then add the olives and pine nuts and reduce uncovered for another 10 min. until the sauce clings to the pieces.
6. Remove the herb sprigs and bay leaf, season well and serve on a warmed platter with white bread or polenta.