Entree: Italy – Liguria – Coniglio alla Ligure (Ligurian-style braised rabbit with olives, pine nuts, and aromatic herbs)
Serving Size: 4
Approximate Time
Prep
20 min
Cook
50 min
Total
1 hr 10 min
Ingredients
- 1 whole rabbit, jointed, approx. 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) usable
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped, about 6 oz (175 g)
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 6 g)
- 1 small carrot, sliced, about 2 oz (60 g)
- 1 celery stalk, sliced, about 1 oz (30 g)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) chicken stock
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste or 1/2 cup (120 g) chopped plum tomatoes
- 3/4 cup (120 g) pitted Taggiasca or black olives, halved
- 2 tbsp (20 g) pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp (5 g) sea salt, adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice, optional for brightness
Instructions
1. Pat rabbit pieces dry, season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil in a large braising pan over medium-high heat and brown rabbit pieces in batches until golden on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned pieces to a plate.
2. Add remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil to the pan. Sauté onion, carrot, and celery until softened, about 5–6 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in tomato paste (or chopped tomatoes) and cook 2 minutes. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up browned bits, and reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.
4. Return rabbit to the pan, add chicken stock, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook gently for 35–45 minutes until rabbit is tender and cooked through.
5. Add olives and pine nuts in the last 10 minutes of cooking to warm through and meld flavors. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice if desired.
6. Remove rosemary stems and bay leaf. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot with polenta, boiled potatoes, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
