Coniglio alla Stimpirata
A classic south-eastern Sicilian dish of braised rabbit in a sweet-and-sour sauce with crisp celery, carrots, green olives, capers, and mint.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 480 kcal
Equipment
- •Wide sauté pan with lid
- •Chef's knife
- •Cutting board
- •Tongs
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- fat
- 28 g
- carbs
- 9 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 46 g
- calories
- 480 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Pat the rabbit pieces dry with paper towels and season evenly with salt and black pepper.
- 2
Heat half the olive oil in a wide sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- 3
Brown the rabbit on all sides until golden, about 8 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
- 4
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan along with the crushed garlic, celery, and carrots.
- 5
Sauté over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until the vegetables soften slightly but retain bite.
- 6
Stir in the crushed green olives and rinsed capers, cooking for 2 minutes until aromatic.
- 7
Dissolve the sugar into the white wine vinegar in a small cup and pour into the pan.
- 8
Return the rabbit pieces and any resting juices to the pan, turning to coat in the sauce.
- 9
Cover with a lid and simmer gently over low heat for 25 to 30 minutes until tender.
- 10
Remove the lid and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly.
- 11
Scatter the torn mint leaves over the pan and remove from the heat.
- 12
Rest the dish for 10 minutes before serving to let the sweet-sour flavours settle.
Chef's tips
Do not overcook the celery and carrots in the initial frying phase, as their crisp bite is crucial against the tender rabbit. Salt-packed capers deliver a far cleaner taste than capers in brine once thoroughly rinsed. This dish improves noticeably if prepared a few hours in advance and served lukewarm.
Ingredient substitutions
- rabbit → bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, adjusting simmering time as needed
- white wine vinegar → red wine vinegar for a slightly darker colour and more robust acidity
Storage
Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a spoonful of water, or serve at room temperature.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the rabbit too violently, which makes the lean meat tough and stringy.
- •Forgetting to rinse salt-cured capers, which will make the finished agrodolce sauce overly salty.
- •Omitting the fresh mint, which is essential to cut through the rich, sweet-sour pan juices.
Serving suggestions
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