Rabbit with olives and capers

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 1 rabbit, whole
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 m.-sized onion(s)
• 1 can of tomatoes, peeled, with juice
• 1 pt. Tomato(s), pureed
• 1 small piece(s) of white celery
• 2 carrots
• 300 ml red wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig(s) rosemary
• some olive oil
• n. B. capers
• n. B. olives
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp Rabbit Seasoning, from Malta, if you have it
• ½ liter vegetable broth

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 10 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 40 minutes

Preheat the oven to 150°C. First, chop the onions and garlic, then the vegetables (celery, carrots). Prepare my grandmother-in-law’s large, old roasting pan. Wash the rabbit, pat it dry, and cut it into pieces. Brown these pieces in the roasting pan with a little olive oil, then remove. Brown the onions and garlic in the roasting pan. Add the carrots and celery, fry briefly, and deglaze with the red wine. Now add the peeled and passata to the onions and bring to a boil briefly. Add the rabbit pieces, bay leaves, and rosemary to the roasting pan, season with the rabbit seasoning, salt, and pepper, and stir well. Add a little vegetable stock until everything is covered. Braise in the oven at 150°C for about 2 hours. If too much liquid boils away, add a little more vegetable stock. Towards the end of the cooking time, add the capers and olives to the rabbit and let it simmer for a short time. This is traditionally served with pasta or a piece of bread. Polenta or potatoes also work well.