Coniglio con Olive
Stewed Rabbit with Olives
In Italy, this is the dish your fiancé's parents serve the
first time you go to meet them. And the big question you hear young people
ribbing each other with is directly related: "When are you going to eat rabbit
and olives?" Though some Americans thinks the pits in olives are a menace, I
like them in this recipe because they add more flavor. You can choose
whichever approach you like best. Serve the stew over polenta, or, if you bone
the rabbit, over pasta as a sauce.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (1/2 cup)
3 to 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
two 2 1/2- to 3-pound rabbits, cut into a total of 16 pieces (ask your
butcher to do this)
salt
freshly ground black pepper
flour for dusting
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped red onions
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 sprig fresh sage
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups canned whole tomatoes, with their juice, puréed (You can use
canned puréed tomatoes, but I think the whole tomatoes are less acidic and
of higher quality.)
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup black olives with pits
8 cups hot Basic Polenta (recipe follows)
Preparation:
Soak the porcini in 3 cups warm water to cover for 1/2
hour. Using your hand, scoop the porcini out of the water, trying not to
disturb the sediment on the bottom. Coarsely chop the porcini and set aside.
Gently pour two-thirds of the porcini water into another container and
reserve. Discard the remaining water.
Coat the bottom of a large skillet with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and
heat over medium-high heat. Season the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper to
taste and dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess. Put the rabbit in the
skillet and brown on all sides. Remove and reserve.
Add more olive oil to the skillet if needed. Add the carrot, celery, onions,
garlic, crushed red pepper, and sage and rosemary sprigs. Sauté for 10 to 15
minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the lemon juice.
Add the wine and scrape any bits of fat or meat stuck to the bottom of the
skillet. Reduce the wine by half. Return the rabbit to the skillet.
Add the tomatoes, porcini, stock, porcini water, and olives to the skillet.
Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour,
occasionally spooning the pan liquids over the meat to keep it moist. Taste
for seasonings and serve the rabbit and pan juices over the hot polenta.
Wine Suggestion:
Something with dark berry flavors, like Cabernet Sauvignon
would be perfect here. Or, for a real treat, try Do (as in do re mi. The
owner is a music fanatic). Do is made from Sangiovese grapes from the
Montalcino area and a half dozen other varietals from the Maremma.
Basic Polenta
You can make this up to an hour ahead of time. Keep the
polenta warm in a covered bain marie over low heat.
Makes 8 cups
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups organic cornmeal of any coarseness or
quick-cooking cornmeal
1 tablespoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Pour 2 1/2 quarts cold water into a saucepan. Turn the
heat to medium and stir in the cornmeal, salt and olive oil. When the
polenta starts to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, stirring
constantly, for 40 to 45 minutes. If lumps form, use a whisk to get them
out. The polenta is ready when it has the consistency of cream of wheat. If
it is too stiff, stir in a little hot water.
