Rabbit stew with smashed potato salad recipe (stuffat tal-fenek)

Level of difficulty: medium Season: Winter You will need to begin this recipe 2 days ahead.

To make the sun-dried tomato paste, arrange the tomato quarters in a single layer on a silicone-lined dehydrator tray. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the tomato then place the tray in the dehydrator and cook at 60˚C for 24–48 hours. The tomato is ready when dry and shrivelled up. Once tomato is finished drying, place in a blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until required. The sun-dried tomato paste will keep covered with a layer of olive oil, in the fridge for 1 month.

Season the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper. Place a large heavy-based flameproof casserole dish over high heat. Add the oil and rabbit pieces and cook, until evenly browned. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes or until the onion softens. Add the bay leaves and all the spices and cook for a further 1–2 minutes or until aromatic. Pour in the red wine, then stir and scrape the base of the pan with the spoon. Add the sun-dried tomato paste and brown sugar. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 2–2½ hours or until the meat is falling from the bone. Remove the rabbit from the stew and gently pull the meat away from the bones in large pieces. Bring the liquid to the boil and cook for 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened. Return the meat to the dish and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, place all the potato in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 10–15 minutes or until just cooked through. Drain potatoes and very lightly break apart with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients, season to taste and toss gently to combine.

Process the baguette in a food processor to form coarse crumbs. Place a large frying pan over high heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter begins to foam, add the baguette crumbs and cook for 2–3 minutes or until lightly coloured. Add the almonds and cook for 1–2 minutes or until the crumbs and almonds are golden. Add the remaining ingredients, season to taste and toss to combine.

Spoon the rabbit and some sauce into a large bowl, top with gremolata and the parsley. Serve the smashed potatoes to the side.

SBS cook’s notes Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55–60 g, unless specified.