Rabbit with Lemon

Rabbit with lemon is a Mediterranean dish that combines the sweetness of rabbit meat with the citrus acidity of lemon. Here is the recipe to prepare it with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

• 1 rabbit, cut into pieces
• 2 organic lemons
• Flour, as needed
• 50 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 200 ml of chicken or vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh chopped parsley, to garnish

Preparation

1. Start by washing and drying the rabbit pieces well. Then, lightly flour them.

2. Squeeze the juice out of one lemon and cut the other into thin slices or wedges.

3. In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and sauté the garlic cloves and the rosemary sprig to flavor the oil. Remove these aromatics and set aside once they are golden.

4. Put the rabbit pieces in the skillet and brown them evenly on all sides. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Once the rabbit is well-browned, add the lemon juice to the skillet and let the alcohol evaporate.

6. Reduce the heat, add the chicken or vegetable broth to almost fully cover the rabbit pieces, put the garlic and rosemary back in, and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for about 40-50 minutes, turning the meat occasionally.

7. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the remaining lemon slices or wedges to the pan, allowing them to soften and release their aroma into the sauce.

8. Once the rabbit is tender and the sauce has thickened, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

9. Serve the lemon rabbit hot, garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

Curiosity

This dish has roots on the island of Ischia, where the abundance of lemons is used in various traditional recipes. The lemon, besides providing unique freshness, helps to mitigate the strong taste of rabbit, creating a perfect balance in this delicious main course.