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Rabbit in Salmì with Polenta

17/11/2023

Rabbit in salmì is a classic dish from northern Italy: it is very popular in Veneto and Piedmont, for example. It is traditionally accompanied by polenta, whose sweetness beautifully contrasts with the richness of the salmì.

Ingredients for Rabbit in Salmì:

  • 1 rabbit cut into pieces
  • Flour, as needed
  • 50 g of butter
  • Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
  • 1 glass of robust red wine (for example, Barbera or Cabernet)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 onion
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • Some sage leaves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper, as needed
  • Meat or vegetable broth, as needed
  • A splash of red wine vinegar

For the Polenta:

  • 250 g of cornmeal for polenta
  • 1 liter of water
  • Salt, as needed

Preparation

For the rabbit salmì:

  1. Dredge the rabbit pieces in flour.
  2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter with a drizzle of oil and gently fry the finely chopped onion with garlic, rosemary, sage, and bay leaf.
  3. Add the rabbit pieces and brown them well on all sides.
  4. Deglaze with the red wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then cover the rabbit pieces with the broth.
  6. Cook over low heat for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, adding more broth if necessary to prevent the sauce from drying out too much.
  7. At the end of cooking, add a splash of vinegar to enhance the flavors.

For the polenta:

  1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt to taste.
  2. Gradually pour in the cornmeal, stirring constantly with a whisk or a wooden spatula to prevent lumps.
  3. Continue cooking according to the instructions on the cornmeal package you are using, which usually range from 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the type.
  4. When the polenta is cooked and has reached the desired consistency, pour it onto a cutting board or directly into the plates.

Serve the rabbit hot with its sauce on the plates next to the polenta.

Curiosity

Rabbit in salmì is a dish that requires patience and passion, as the long cooking allows a perfect harmonization of flavors. One tip is to prepare this dish the day before, as resting allows the rabbit to absorb even more of the flavors of the salmì, making it even tastier when reheated.

Rabbit in Salmì with Polenta