Venetian Sautéed Rabbit with Herbs

This is Marcella Hazan’s recipe. She prepared it for lunch on the terrace outside the lovely, antique-filled top-floor apartment she and her husband, Victor, share in the Cannaregio district of Venice. The Hazan’s served the quail with polenta.

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Sauteed rabbit with herbs

Course Main Course

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Ingredients

• 2 rabbits, cut in serving pieces
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs fresh sage
• 6 cloves garlic crushed
• 4 tbsp (60 ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 30 gr carrot finely chopped
• 1 cup (40 gr) celery finely chopped
• 30 gr onion finely chopped
• 250 gr crushed, well-drained fresh or canned plum (egg) tomatoes
• 375 ml dry white wine
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup (125 ml) of water (approximately)
• 2 cups (250 g) small white mushrooms
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf Italian parsley finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme finely chopped

Instructions

• Place the rabbit pieces in a large bowl and toss with the sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and sage, 2 cloves of the garlic, and 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the oil. Set aside to marinate for 4 hours.
• In a large sauté pan, heat ½ tablespoon of the remaining oil, add the rabbit pieces and sauté over high heat until they are lightly browned. Remove them from the pan.
• Add the carrot, celery, onion, and remaining garlic to the pan, sauté until the vegetables are tender. Add the tomatoes to the pan, then stir in the wine.
• Bring to a simmer, return the rabbit pieces to the pan, and season with salt and pepper.
• Add a little water if necessary, so that the rabbit is barely covered with the sauce. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Place a piece of foil directly on the surface of the ingredients, place the pan in the oven, and bake for 2 hours.
• Add a little more water if necessary. While the rabbit is baking sauté the mushrooms over high heat in the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil.
• After the rabbit has baked for 1 ½ hours, add the sauté mushrooms to the pan.
• When the rabbit is done, check the seasonings. Add the chopped herbs and serve.