Rabbit Stifado

Ingredients

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

Directions

1. 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. 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, sugar, garlic, spices and the hot water.

3. 3

   Season with salt and pepper.

4. 4

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

5. 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. 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.