Rabbit Sauce for Pasta

On popular request I'm going to post a very successful rabbit recipe. This recipe produces a very rich and slightly sweet sauce which goes especially well with pasta.


Recipe Origin: Rabbit with Aniseed Liqueur

Serves: 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

• 1 rabbit cut in pieces
• 2 chicken cubes
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 shot of Aniseed/Anise/Ouzo/Pernod liqueur
• 475ml red wine
• 1 tablespoon Worchester Sauce
• 100grams currant/sultanas
• 500g frozen peas
• 250g tomato paste 
• 2 tablespoons curry
• 1/4 teaspoon mixed spices
• 5 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 200g butter
• salt
• pepper

Method:

1. Saute 3 bay leaves and the garlic cloves in 2 tablespoons oil and 150g butter. Stir occasionally;
2. Add the rabbit pieces, turning frequently until browned all over;
3. Add a glass of red wine and the anise liqueur. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes turning  the rabbit occasionally;
4. Transfer the rabbit to a warm serving dish and keep it covered;
5. In the meantime, fry the onions in the remaining oil and butter. Add the tomato concentrate, the sugar, salt and pepper. Stir;
6. Add water gently to this mixture;
7. Add curry, mixed spices, the chicken cubes, currents, the remaining bay leaves, the remaining red wine and the Worchester sauce;
8. After a few minutes add the fried rabbit including its sauce and simmer on low flame for around 30 minutes;
9. Cook the pasta according the packets instructions;
10. At this point I usually remove the rabbit bones since the sauce tastes much better without the bones. Return the boneless rabbit meat to the sauce;
11. Add the peas and simmer for another 15 minutes;
12. Serve with the cooked pasta.

Modifications from the original recipe:

• I usually buy 2 rabbits and use the front and hind legs in another rabbit recipe (rabbit in white wine and garlic) while using the remaining rabbit body parts for this stew;
• I reduced the amount of chicken cubes from the original recipe so that's the stew is less salty. Add another chicken cube if you want a saltier sauce;
• The original recipe uses canned peas however I prefer using frozen peas.

[Image Source: Paul's Flickr]