Rabbit legs in tomato sauce
An Italian-style tomato sauce pairs beautifully with tender rabbit meat served on the bone – a hearty, rustic meal.
Ingredients
For the marinated rabbit legs
- 4 rabbit legs, bone in
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 red onion, chopped
- splash sherry vinegar
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 peppercorns
- pinch salt
For the tomato sauce
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- 500g/1lb 2oz pomodorini (cherry tomatoes)
- 6 leaves fresh basil
- 125ml/4fl oz white wine
- 250ml/9fl oz chicken stock
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt, to taste
- polenta (cooked according to the packet instructions), to serve
Method
To make the marinated rabbit legs, mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl along with a pinch of salt. Cover and allow to marinate for at least an hour, or longer if you wish. Set aside (marinade included).
To make the tomato sauce, sauté the onion, carrot, celery and garlic for 5 minutes.
Add the pomodorini, basil, a pinch of salt and half the white wine. Cook down for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
Heat a large flameproof saucepan (one that can fit in your oven) over a medium-high heat and drizzle in some olive oil.
Remove the rabbit legs from the marinade and pat dry. Sear the rabbit in the pan to colour it slightly.
Strain the marinade and discard the aromatics. Add the marinade to the pan with the rabbit leggs in, along with the tomato sauce, the chicken stock and the remaining white wine. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to a simmer and cover. Let it cook for about 20 minutes, turning once, and basting on occasion.
Carefully transfer the covered pan to the oven for another 20 minutes, basting a couple of times.
Serve with cooked polenta.
