Coniglio alla Ligure
Tender rabbit pieces braised slowly with dark taggiasca olives, toasted pine nuts, rosemary, and dry white wine, creating a savoury sweet Ligurian classic.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-based sauté pan or Dutch oven
- •Tongs
- •Chef's knife
- •Wooden spoon
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 28 g
- carbs
- 5 g
- fibre
- 1.5 g
- protein
- 46 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Pat the rabbit pieces dry with kitchen paper and season thoroughly with salt and pepper.
- 2
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-based pan over medium-high heat.
- 3
Add the rabbit pieces and brown them on all sides until golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- 4
Remove the rabbit from the pan and set aside on a warm plate.
- 5
Lower the heat to medium and add the chopped onion and crushed garlic to the pan.
- 6
Fry gently until the onion softens and turns translucent, taking care not to scorch the garlic.
- 7
Stir in the pine nuts and cook for two minutes until lightly toasted and fragrant.
- 8
Return the browned rabbit to the pan along with the rosemary and bay leaf.
- 9
Pour in the white wine and let it bubble vigorously until reduced by half.
- 10
Add the taggiasca olives and pour in enough warm water to keep the bottom moist.
- 11
Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 40 minutes.
- 12
Uncover and cook for 5 more minutes until the sauce is glossy and the meat is tender.
Chef's tips
Use authentic taggiasca olives as their delicate, non-bitter taste defines the braise. Avoid rushing the initial browning of the rabbit, as this creates the deep base flavour for the sauce. If the pan looks dry during simmering, splash in a little more warm water or white wine.
Ingredient substitutions
- rabbit → skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks
- taggiasca olives → Kalamata or Niçoise olives, rinsed well
- Pigato or Vermentino → any crisp, dry un-oaked white wine
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water until piping hot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the rabbit instead of browning it properly at the start.
- •Using overly salty or bitter black olives instead of sweet taggiasca.
- •Letting the liquid dry out completely during the braising step.
Serving suggestions
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