Rabbit Stew (Stuffat tal-Fenek)
Rabbit Stew is a hearty, delicious stew that is slowly simmered for more than an hour to create rich, deep flavor. It’s a great introduction to cooking with rabbit meat! This recipe is the Maltese version of rabbit stew and is made with red wine, carrots, garlic, potatoes, and peas.
Servings 6
Calories 373kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 lb bone-in rabbit
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 8 bay leaves
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 (400 g) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 russet potatoes diced
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup peas
Instructions
- Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil to a hot pan. Then add 2 lb bone-in rabbit, and cook until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Add 6 garlic cloves into the pan along with 1 onion and 2 large carrots. Saute for a few minutes until the onions soften, then add 3 tbsp tomato paste and stir to coat the onions and garlic.
- Add 2 sprigs fresh thyme and 8 bay leaves, and place the rabbit back in the pot.
- Pour 1 cup red wine into the pot along with the 1 (400 g) can crushed tomatoes, 2 russet potatoes, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir.
- Cover and simmer for about one hour, until the rabbit is fall-off-the-bone tender. If you want a more liquidy stew, you can add some water at this point to make it saucier.
- After about an hour, add ½ cup peas and stir to combine. Prop the lid a bit, so that excess liquid can escape and the stew can thicken. Cook for another 5 or so minutes until the stew has thickened, then serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Recipe copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational and personal use only. Recipe researched using Food & Bake by Antoine, LoveMalta, Jeanette Ellul.
- Bone-in Rabbit: You may need to search for rabbit from a local butcher. They usually include the head and liver, but you can ask for these to be removed if that intimidates you. I had my butcher cut my rabbit into bone-in chunks about 2-3 inches wide. You could also have them cut the rabbit into quarters if you prefer.
- Red wine: Use a deep red wine, not a “red cooking wine” if you can help it! I used a cabernet and it was perfect.
- Peas: Frozen peas work great!
- For the most authentic stew, include the heart, liver and head of the rabbit.
- A lot of times this stew is served with spaghetti. It’s also great with roasted potatoes and crusty bread.
- This rabbit stew has been around for generations so naturally there are plenty of variations. I’ve seen some people add curry powder, coriander, cumin etc. But most of the traditional recipes only have salt, pepper and bay leaves.
- Don’t skip browning the meat before simmering. This step builds deep flavor in the finished stew.
- Don’t rush the simmer. A full hour allows the rabbit to become tender and the sauce to develop. An hour and a half is not unreasonable.
- Adjust the liquid at the end. Add a little water if you prefer a saucier stew, or prop the lid to let it reduce and thicken.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 340mg | Potassium: 1065mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3638IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 4mg