serves
4
prep
20 minutes
cook
1 hour
difficulty
Easy
serves
4
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
1
hour
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 1 rabbit, chopped into 8 pieces (ask your butcher to do this for you)
- sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) onions, sliced
- 2 whole cloves
- 10 black peppercorns
- 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) Cognac
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) chicken stock, heated to a simmer
- micro herbs, to garnish (optional)
Hand-cut chips
- 4 all-purpose potatoes, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) thick chips
- 1 litre (34 fl oz/4 cups) vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Instructions
- Lightly season the rabbit with salt and pepper. Heat half the olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over high heat, add the rabbit and quickly sear for 1–2 minutes on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium–low, add the remaining oil and the garlic to the pan and cook on both sides until golden brown. Add the bay leaves and cook for 1 minute, then add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 12–15 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the cloves, peppercorns and Cognac and stir through for a few minutes until the onion starts to take on a golden colour. Add the mustard and stock and return the rabbit to the pan. Cover with a lid and gently simmer for 40–50 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the onion and rabbit are the same colour.
- Meanwhile, to make the chips, heat the oil in a large saucepan to 170°C (340°F) on a kitchen thermometer. Add the chips and fry, turning frequently, for 8–10 minutes, until just beginning to colour. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chips to a plate lined with paper towel and place in the fridge for 20 minutes to cool down. Increase the oil temperature to 180°C (350°F) and fry the chips for a further 4–6 minutes, until light golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with clean paper towel to soak up any excess oil, then sprinkle with salt.
- Scatter a few micro herbs over the rabbit and onion, if you like, and serve with the chips on the side.
Recipes and images from Islas: Food of the Spanish Islands by Emma Warren, Smith Street Books, RRP $49.99
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
