Greek Rabbit Stew. Kouneli Stifado
User Reviews
5
Greek Rabbit Stew. Kouneli Stifado
Description
This traditional Greek stew starts by salting and browning pieces of cottontail or domestic rabbit in olive oil. The browned meat is moved to a heavy pot, where onions and garlic are sautéed. Aromatic spices including allspice berries, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and dried oregano are added to the pot. A mixture of dry and sweet red wines, chicken or rabbit stock, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, and grated fresh or canned tomatoes is poured in to braise the meat slowly.
The cooking process creates a thick, hearty stew with tender rabbit and a balance of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors. The cinnamon and allspice contribute a subtle warmth, while the tomato and vinegar provide acidity that brightens the dish.
This stew is generally served as a main course alongside crusty bread or rice to soak up the sauce. It benefits from being made ahead, as flavors deepen over one or two days in the refrigerator.
To achieve best results, take time to brown the rabbit thoroughly and include sweet wine such as Mavrodaphne or a substitute like Port. The stew keeps well for up to a week refrigerated, allowing convenient meal prep.
Ingredients
- 2 cottontail rabbit or 1 domestic rabbit
- kosher salt
- 2 onion sliced, medium red
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 10 allspice berries
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 tomato grated, or 1 14-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, large
- 1 cup red wine dry
- 1/2 cup sweet red wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or rabbit stock
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- black pepper freshly ground
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Cut up the rabbits and cut into serving pieces. Be sure to include little bits, like the belly flaps, the front legs, the kidneys and such; they become yummy surprises in the finished stew. Salt the rabbit pieces well and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a frying pan and brown the rabbit well. As each piece browns, move it to a brazier or Dutch oven or other heavy, lidded pot. When the rabbit is browned, sauté the onions for 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Sprinkle with salt. Do not let the garlic burn.
- Turn the contents of the frying pan into the brazier or a Dutch oven, then arrange the bay leaves, oregano, allspice berries and cinnamon stick over them.
- In the pan you browned the rabbit and the onions, add the wine, sweet wine, vinegar, stock, tomato paste and grated tomatoes — cut tomatoes in half and run them through your coarsest grater to leave the skins out of your pot. Cook this down over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, then pour over everything in the pot.
- Cover the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook slowly for 1 hour, then check. It may need up to another hour. You want the rabbit to be just about falling off the bone. You can pull the rabbit meat off the bone, as I do, or just let your guests do that. Grind some black pepper and drizzle some really good olive oil over everything right when you serve.
Notes
- Serve the stew with crusty bread or rice to complement the rich sauce.
- Take your time browning the rabbit pieces thoroughly; it significantly enhances flavor.
- Use sweet red wine like Greek Mavrodaphne or substitute with Port if unavailable.
- This stew improves in flavor when made a day or two ahead and can keep up to a week in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 557 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 557kcal | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 75g | 150% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 270mg | 90% |
| Sodium | 223mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 1625mg | 35% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 779IU | 16% |
| Vitamin C | 16mg | 18% |
| Calcium | 82mg | 8% |
| Iron | 12mg | 67% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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