Here’s a peasant dish that’s fit for a king—rabbit stew has long been a mainstay of dining tables across Europe, especially during fall and winter when a hearty stew is exactly what is needed to keep the cold at bay.
“This dish gives me the fondest memories of waking up, on a winter morning, to the aroma of rosemary potatoes and juniper berries roasting in the oven,” shares Marco Guccio, head chef of Zafferano Italian Restaurant And Lounge.
His mother would make stufato di coniglio (stew of rabbit) in winter during the festive season. “My mother considers rabbit meat as an elegant produce, with its unique flavours and succulent meat, and to be cooked during special occasions.”
His mother would make stufato di coniglio (stew of rabbit) in winter during the festive season. “My mother considers rabbit meat as an elegant produce, with its unique flavours and succulent meat, and to be cooked during special occasions.”
Here, he shares his family recipe for rabbit stew, cooked alla cacciatora, or hunter style. Rabbit stew in Europe is traditionally cooked with wild hares that have a firmer texture and rich gamey flavour, unlike their farmed counterparts which are softer and blander—you might say they taste like chicken.
Frozen rabbit can be purchased from specialty butchers in Singapore such as The Butcher, Swiss Butchery and Fidelis Meats and these come whole, or you can also purchase just the legs as the recipe calls for it. Cooked alla cacciatora, the preparation with herbs and spices imbues even the mild-tasting meat with heartiness and depth of flavour.
The meat is first seared over high heat, cooked with onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms and fresh herbs, then simmered with olives, white wine and tomato sauce at a gentle heat for 45 minutes. Because rabbit meat is lean and tends to dry out in cooking, stewing it in liquid at a lower temperature ensures a result that is unctuous and tender.
Frozen rabbit can be purchased from specialty butchers in Singapore such as The Butcher, Swiss Butchery and Fidelis Meats and these come whole, or you can also purchase just the legs as the recipe calls for it. Cooked alla cacciatora, the preparation with herbs and spices imbues even the mild-tasting meat with heartiness and depth of flavour.
The meat is first seared over high heat, cooked with onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms and fresh herbs, then simmered with olives, white wine and tomato sauce at a gentle heat for 45 minutes. Because rabbit meat is lean and tends to dry out in cooking, stewing it in liquid at a lower temperature ensures a result that is unctuous and tender.
Coniglio alla cacciatora
Wild rabbit leg ‘cacciatora’ style
Serves 4
4 rabbit legs
50 grams of white onion (cut into cubes)
50 grams of celery (cut into cubes)
50 grams of carrot (cut into cubes)
100 grams of mushrooms (cut into slices)
30 grams of black seedless olives
2 pieces of bay leaves
2 sprigs of rosemary
1 clove of garlic
500 grams of peeled tomatoes
60 grams of white wine
200 ml of vegetable stock
Black pepper, salt, sugar
1. Add olive oil into a pot to sauté the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, rosemary and bay leaves.
2. After few minutes, add the mushrooms and olives.
3. Season the rabbit legs with salt and pepper, and add into a pot.
4. Cook for few minutes, add the white wine.
5. After the wine has reduced, add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and sugar.
6. Add the vegetable stock and cook for 45 minutes over gentle heat. Serve hot.
Wild rabbit leg ‘cacciatora’ style
Serves 4
4 rabbit legs
50 grams of white onion (cut into cubes)
50 grams of celery (cut into cubes)
50 grams of carrot (cut into cubes)
100 grams of mushrooms (cut into slices)
30 grams of black seedless olives
2 pieces of bay leaves
2 sprigs of rosemary
1 clove of garlic
500 grams of peeled tomatoes
60 grams of white wine
200 ml of vegetable stock
Black pepper, salt, sugar
1. Add olive oil into a pot to sauté the garlic, onions, carrots, celery, rosemary and bay leaves.
2. After few minutes, add the mushrooms and olives.
3. Season the rabbit legs with salt and pepper, and add into a pot.
4. Cook for few minutes, add the white wine.
5. After the wine has reduced, add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt and sugar.
6. Add the vegetable stock and cook for 45 minutes over gentle heat. Serve hot.
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