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Coniglio alla Ligure in a Dutch oven with taggiasca olives, toasted pine nuts, and fresh rosemary braising sauce

Coniglio alla Ligure: Rabbit Braised with Olives, Pine Nuts, and White Wine

Rabbit braised Ligurian-style with taggiasca olives, pine nuts, white wine, and rosemary. Rich, herbaceous, and built for a Sunday table.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the rabbit
  • 1.4 kg rabbit, jointed into 6-8 pieces ask the butcher to joint it, or use pre-cut pieces
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil mild Ligurian-style preferred
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary add the second sprig in the last 10 minutes
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 200 ml dry white wine Vermentino or Pigato if possible
  • 120 g taggiasca olives, pitted Castelvetrano are the best substitute
  • 50 g pine nuts, toasted toast dry in a skillet for 2 minutes before using
  • 200 ml chicken stock, low sodium or water if stock is unavailable
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Method
 

  1. Pat the rabbit pieces completely dry with paper towels. Season all sides with salt and black pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half the rabbit pieces in a single layer and sear for 4-5 minutes per side until deep golden brown. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the whole garlic cloves to the same pot and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pale gold and fragrant.
  4. Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Let the wine bubble for 2 minutes.
  5. Return all the rabbit pieces to the pot. Add the chicken stock, one rosemary sprig, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. The liquid should come about one-third of the way up the rabbit pieces.
  6. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
  7. Add the pitted taggiasca olives and toasted pine nuts to the pot. Stir gently to distribute them around the rabbit.
  8. Re-cover and continue to braise over low heat for a further 20 minutes, until the rabbit meat pulls easily from the bone.
  9. Remove the lid, add the second rosemary sprig, and increase the heat to medium. Cook uncovered for 5-8 minutes to reduce and concentrate the braising liquid into a loose sauce.
  10. Remove and discard the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprigs. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Rest covered for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the cleanest flavor, marinate the rabbit pieces in the white wine with a rosemary sprig for 1 hour in the refrigerator before cooking, then pat dry and proceed. The olives go in late deliberately - adding them too early makes them bitter and soft.