Rabbit stew with olives

When I found some pieces of rabbit in the freezer, I decided to use them for a dish with olives. The rabbit needs a rich sauce to stay tender, so I organized my steps beforehand, avoiding unnecessary complications. I prefer to prepare this recipe on days when I have time to supervise a stew over a gentle heat; it’s not quick, but it doesn’t require any special techniques.

Quick Info

Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes (without marinating)
Marinating time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 1 hour - 1 hour and a half, depending on the meat
Servings: 4
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: main course, cooked in a pot

Ingredients

3 pieces of rabbit (about 700-900 g, if they are portions from a whole rabbit)
1 medium onion
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
200 g olives (pitted, if preferred)
1 lemon
Spice Base (Fuchs), to taste
1 bay leaf

For marinade:
200 ml water
1 teaspoon vinegar

Preparation method

1. Put the washed pieces of rabbit in a bowl. Cover them with 200 ml of water and a teaspoon of vinegar. Let marinate for an hour. This is enough to reduce the specific smell.

2. Remove the meat from the marinade, rinse it well under cold running water, and drain it.

3. Place the pieces of meat in a pot of about 3 liters. Pour in enough water to cover the meat by 2 cm. Place the pot on the heat and, as it starts to boil, skim off the foam that forms on the surface.

4. Peel the onion, wash it, and chop it finely. Once there is no more foam on the surface, add the onion to the pot with rabbit.

5. Let everything simmer until the meat begins to soften (check with a fork, usually after 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces).

6. Separately, in a small bowl, mix a teaspoon of flour with a tablespoon of tomato paste to avoid lumps. When the onion is cooked, pour the flour and tomato paste mixture into the pot, stirring gently.

7. Add the remaining tomato paste. Stir again to homogenize the sauce. Let it simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.

8. Meanwhile, place the olives in a small pot with water and bring them to a boil for 4-5 minutes. The goal is to reduce their salty or bitter taste. Drain them well.

9. When the rabbit sauce has thickened, add the drained olives to the pot. Also add the bay leaf. Let everything simmer over low heat for another 10 minutes.

10. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the Spice Base to taste (I add it at the end to avoid it being too salty).

11. Finally, peel the lemon, slice it thinly, and add the slices directly into the sauce.

The meat should be tender and easy to pierce with a fork. The sauce remains moderately thick, not too liquid.

Why I make this recipe often

I like this recipe because it’s not complicated, uses basic ingredients, and the result is hearty. Rabbit meat doesn’t dry out at all when cooked in sauce, and the olives add a distinct flavor. It reheats well, although rarely any is left.

Tips and variations

Tips

If the rabbit has tougher meat, let it cook longer; don’t rush the process.
Don’t skip pre-boiling the olives; it really helps with the flavor.
Add the lemon at the end, not at the beginning, to avoid bittering the sauce.

Substitutions

You can use tomato purée instead of tomato paste, but reduce the amount of water for boiling.
If you don’t have the Spice Base, you can add salt and pepper to taste.

Variations

Some add half a chopped carrot while cooking, but it’s not mandatory.
If you want more sauce, double the tomato paste and add a bit more water.
For a more aromatic version, add a sprig of thyme while cooking the rabbit.

Serving ideas

The simplest way to serve it is with warm polenta. It also pairs well with plain rice or fresh bread.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I make the recipe without marinating?
You can, but rabbit meat has a stronger taste. A short marinade in water with vinegar tempers and tenderizes it.

2. Is it necessary to use pitted olives?
It’s not mandatory, but pitted olives are easier to eat and mix better into the sauce.

3. What can I do if the sauce is too thin?
Leave the pot uncovered over low heat for another 10-15 minutes to evaporate some of the liquid.

4. What type of rabbit works best?
I have used both home-raised and store-bought rabbit meat, and I didn’t notice significant differences in cooking.

5. If I don’t have the Spice Base, what can I use for seasoning?
You can use salt, pepper, a bit of paprika, to taste. The Base adds a little extra, but it’s not strictly necessary.

Nutritional values

Estimate per serving (out of 4):
Calories: 250-300 kcal
Protein: 25-30 g
Fat: 10-12 g
Carbohydrates: 12-15 g

The recipe is not very high in fat and has protein from the meat, plus some fiber from the tomato paste and olives. Values may vary depending on how much sauce is left at the end and the type of olives used.

Storage and reheating

The rabbit dish with olives can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days in a covered container. When reheating, warm it over low heat with a little water if the sauce has thickened. The meat doesn’t dry out, and the flavors intensify after a day. I do not recommend freezing, as the meat and olives lose their texture.

The washed rabbit pieces are placed in a marinade made of water and vinegar for an hour. They are removed, washed, and put to boil in a 3-liter pot. Water is added to cover the meat by 2 cm. While boiling, the foam that forms is skimmed off. The onion is peeled, washed, and finely chopped. It is added to the pot with the meat to boil. The flour is well mixed with a tablespoon of tomato paste. When the onion is cooked, the tomato paste with flour is added. Stir to avoid lumps. Then add the rest of the tomato paste and let it boil. In a small pot, the olives are boiled. After they have boiled for a few minutes (4-5), the heat is turned off and they are left to cool. Drain the water and add them to the pot with the food. Add the bay leaf and turn off the heat. Add the spice base (Fuchs) to taste. Finally, add the lemon, peeled and sliced into rounds. The meat is cooked when a fork easily goes into it.

 Ingredients: 3 pieces of rabbit, 1 onion, 4 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of flour, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 200 g of olives, 1 lemon, Fuchs Spice Base, Marinade: 200 ml of water, 1 teaspoon of vinegar

 Tags:  the spice base