Rabbit with Chestnuts & Carob Honey from Crete

Greece Is | December 23rd, 2015

One of the star ingredients in this dish is carob honey, a Cretan specialty that lends a distinct flavor.

© Giorgos Drakopoulos - Photo Assistant: Manolis Kapa
Food Styling: Tina Webb - Food Styling Assistant: Alexandra Tasounidou

Greece IsGASTRONOMYIslandsTasteRecipes

Aromatic carob honey and a host of spices make this a flavorsome dish.

Chef: Alexander Tsiotinis

Preparation & Cooking time: 95'

Serves: 6

Chef Alexander Tsiotinis masterfully combines rabbit with carob and chestnuts to add a Cretan touch to a timeless recipe.

INSTRUCTIONS

Season the rabbit, coat with flour and shake to get rid of the excess. Heat the olive in a wide pot over medium heat and sauté the rabbit for roughly 3-4 minutes until it is brown on all sides. Then place it on a platter. Add the onion, garlic, celeriac, carrots, bay leaves, juniper berries, salt, pepper and the thyme and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes until the onions turn transparent.

Add the wine and wait for 2-3 minutes until the alcohol evaporates. Then place the rabbit back in the pot and enough water to almost cover the ingredients. Reduce the heat and slowly cook for about 40 minutes until the rabbit is tender.

Add the chestnuts and the carob honey, stir gently and continue cooking for another 10 minutes until the aromas and tastes blend. Take the pot off the stove and place the rabbit pieces and the vegetables on a platter. If there is enough broth left in the pot, reduce it on a high heat for 3-4 minutes until it thickens. Pour the sauce on to the rabbit and vegetables and serve with white rice.

* Originally published in Gastronomos Magazine, Dec 15 Issue.

INGREDIENTS

1 large rabbit, weighing roughly 1.2-1.4 kilos, cut into 6-8 pieces
About 50 gr of all-purpose flour (to coat the rabbit)
1 small celeriac, cleaned and cut into 1-2 cm cubes
2 medium carrots, cleaned and cut into 1-2 cm cubes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons of crushed dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon of well-crushed juniper berries (found in spice shops and supermarkets)
500 ml of dry red wine
50 ml of carob honey (syrup made from carob which can be found in specialist Cretan food shops)
20 chestnuts boiled and cleaned. Keep some of them whole for serving. You can purchase the chestnuts ready-boiled and cleaned from supermarkets.
40 ml olive oil
Salt, freshly ground pepper