Tag: Red wine

One way to cook Rabbit like a Sicilian

One Sicilian method of cooking rabbit is to prepare it similarly to hare, marinating the meat and cooking it with strong flavours. This approach inspires timeless, flavour-rich country Sicilian cooking.

Although hare can be difficult to find, rabbit is more readily available and is a suitable substitute for the same traditional recipes.

I always begin by marinating the rabbit before cooking. The marination can be shorter than for hare, and the cooking time is also reduced especially when using farmed rabbit, which is more tender and less gamey.

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Marinaded fresh rabbit and aromatic spices ready for traditional Sicilian cooking

On my blog, you will find recipes for both rabbit and hare. In fact, most dishes designed for chicken can be easily adapted for rabbit with excellent results.

This particular rabbit dish was prepared with cloves, cinnamon and red wine, spices and aromas that are deeply rooted in Sicilian culinary history and a legacy of Arab influence on the island’s cuisine.

While cooking, I took more step-by-step photos than usual to capture the process and the unfolding colour and depth of the sauce.

Coniglio da Licodia Eubea—rustic Sicilian flavours
Complete meal, presented with roast potatoes and pumpkin and braised chicory

The food historian Pino Correnti, in his Il Libro D’oro della Cucina e dei Vini di Sicilia, attributes this recipe to Licodia Eubea and refers to it as Coniglio da Licodia Eubea.

I have driven through Licodia Eubea on my way from Piazza Armerina to Caltagirone and onward to Ragusa. I didn’t stop for photos there, but nearby Grammichele—with its remarkable hexagonal piazza and one of the world’s largest sundials—made an unforgettable impression. Like Licodia Eubea, the streets were almost empty, giving us the feeling that we had the whole town to ourselves.

For the completer recipe:

RABBIT with cloves, cinnamon and red wine (CONIGLIO DA LICODIA EUBEA)

Other Sicilian Recipes for cooking rabbit:

CONIGLIO A PARTUISA (Braised rabbit as cooked in Ragusa)

RABBIT COOKED IN CHOCOLATE (Lepre o Coniglio al Cioccolato -‘Nciculattatu is the Sicilian term for in chocolate )

 

 

CAVOLOFIORE AFFOGATO (Cauliflower braised in red wine, cheese and anchovies)

 

Affogato is an Italian term meaning ‘drowned’ or ‘smothered’. In this recipe, the cauliflower is effectively ‘drowned’ in red wine and ‘smothered’ by compression.

My grandmother Maria was born in Catania and this was one of her ways of cooking cauliflower – It is called CAVOLOFIORE AFFOGATO and VRUOCCULI AFFUCATI in Sicilian.

Although the coloured cauliflower or broccoli can also be used for this recipe, I prefer the white cauliflower because it acquires a rose tint when cooked with red wine. The yellow one is also suitable and even more dramatic in colour.

To compress the cauliflower layers, assemble the ingredients, cover them with a circular piece of baking paper, place an oven-safe plate on top, and then add a weight (as shown in the photo). I used my stone mortar, at other times I have used a smaller saucepan partly filled with liquid.

The cauliflower is cooked slowly until all the liquid evaporates and then it can be turned out and sliced like a cake. try to cut the cauliflower horizontally into layers if you can, however, the pecorino usually performs the function of keeping the layers together.

I place a circle of baking paper at the bottom of the pan to ensure that the “cake”( tortino in Italian) does not stick to the bottom or you may also like to use a non- stick saucepan as I often do. Many recipes add water as the cauliflower is cooking to prevent it from burning, but if you cook it on very gentle heat, you have added wine and used a good quality saucepan with a heavy base, adding water may not be necessary.

VRUOCCULI AFFUCATI are especially suitable as an accompaniment to a strong tasting dish. Usually it is presented at room temperature and even cold the left over cauliflower is particularly satisfying as a stuffing for a panino.

INGREDIENTS

cauliflower or broccoli, 1kg,
onion, 1large, sliced thinly
pecorino, 50 -100g, sliced thinly
anchovies, 4-5 or more
red wine, 1 glass
extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup
freshly ground black pepper to taste, salt if necessary
stoned black olives, 10 (optional)

PROCESSES

  • Place some olive oil in a deep saucepan (the ingredients are layered). Line with baking paper if you wish.
  • Add a layer of the cauliflower.Top with the pecorino cheese, anchovies, ground pepper and onion slices (and olives if you wish). The ingredients are pretty salty so you may not wish to add salt.
  • Repeat with another two layers of the cauliflower and the other ingredients. Drizzle more oil on top each layer. Make the top layer just cauliflower.
  • Press down the layers with your hands.Top with more oil and add the wine.
  • Cover the contents first with either a piece of baking paper or foil cut to size and slightly loose. Put a weight on the top so as to keep all of the layers compressed (see above). There should e a gap around the weight and the saucepan to allow the steam to escape. Add little bit of water if necessary.
  • Cook on very slow heat for about 30-40 minutes and when the liquid has evaporated, you should also hear the cauliflower sizzle in the oil.