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Kouneli stifado
Rabbit stew with shallots and wine
Kouneli stifado: rabbit braised with whole shallots, red wine, tomato and warm spices
Rabbit is a favourite winter Sunday dish in Crete and across the Greek countryside, and stifado is the way most cooks prepare it: jointed rabbit simmered slowly with a mountain of small whole onions in a glossy, sweet-sour sauce of tomato, red wine and vinegar, scented with cinnamon, allspice and bay. The sauce reduces until the onions are soft and jammy, and it is served with fried potatoes or rice and bread to wipe the plate. This recipe uses red wine; for an alcohol-free version use red grape juice with an extra spoon of vinegar. Common mistake: stirring once the onions go in, which breaks them up; shake the pot instead. Chef's tip: peel the shallots more easily by soaking them in boiling water for 5 minutes first.
- Total time
- 140 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 ⅛ lb rabbitjointed into 8 pieces
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 ¾ lb small shallots or pickling onionspeeled, left whole
- 4 cloves garlicwhole
- ¾ cup red wineor red grape juice plus 1 extra tbsp vinegar
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 ¼ cups hot water
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Method
0/7 doneStep 2: Add the rest of 3 ½ tbsp olive oil and the whole 1 ¾ lb small shallots or pickling onions and 4 cloves garlic. Fry over a medium heat, shaking the pan, until the onions are golden all over.
8 minStep 3: Return the rabbit, pour in ¾ cup red wine and 3 tbsp red wine vinegar and let it bubble for 2–3 minutes, until the sharp smell softens.
3 minStep 4: Stir 2 tbsp tomato paste into 1 ¼ cups hot water and add with 14 oz grated fresh tomatoes or passata, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 allspice berries, 2 bay leaves, 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. The liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the meat.
Step 5: Cover and simmer over a low heat for 1½ hours, shaking the pot now and then rather than stirring. The rabbit is done when the meat comes away from the bone easily and reaches at least 160°F.
90 minStep 6: Uncover for the last 10 minutes if the sauce is thin; it should be thick and glossy, coating the onions.
10 minStep 7: Remove the cinnamon and bay and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kouneli stifado take?
- About 140 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 110 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of small shallots or pickling onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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