Este prato de Coelho com Vinho Tinto é um clássico da cozinha rústica, uma refeição que evoca os sabores ricos e reconfortantes do campo. A carne de coelho, magra e saborosa, torna-se incrivelmente tenra e suculenta através de uma marinada aromática e de uma cozedura lenta e cuidada. O resultado é um estufado apurado, com um molho aveludado e cheio de profundidade, perfeito para um almoço de domingo em família.

Ingredientes

  • 1 coelho
  • 1 cabeça de alho
  • 2 folhas de louro
  • sal e pimenta q.b.
  • 1 c.s. pimentão doce
  • 1 malagueta
  • 1 ramo de rosmaninho
  • 750 ml de vinho tinto
  • 1 cebola picada
  • 1 cenoura em rodelas
  • 1/2 chávena de azeite
  • 2 c.s. de polpa de tomate

Preparação

  1. Corte o coelho em pedaços e coloque um taça para marinar com os seguintes ingredientes: pimentão doce, pimenta, malagueta, louro, o alho (eu usei a cabeça cortado ao meio) e o rosmaninho.
  2. Cubra a carne com 1 copo de vinho e reserve no frio durante algumas horas (ou durante a noite para usar no dia seguinte).
  3. Aqueça o azeite, escorra as postas do coelho, seque-as com papel absorvente e doure-as.
  4. Reserve-as.
  5. Escorra a gordura que usou para fritar e deixe apenas o equivalente a uma colher de sopa.
  6. Doure a cebola picada e junte o rosmaninho e a cenoura. Adicione o coelho e junte o vinho tinto. Acrescente a polpa de tomate e reduz o lume. Deixe cozinhar cerca de 1 hora em mínimo. Retifique o sal no final.
  7. Acompanhe com batata assada e salada.

For those who appreciate rich, slow-cooked flavours, here is the translated recipe, ready to bring a taste of Portuguese tradition to your kitchen.

Rabbit with Red Wine

This dish is a classic example of a Portuguese estufado (stew), where lean rabbit is slow-braised in red wine until it becomes meltingly tender. It’s a rustic, hearty, and deeply flavourful dish that beautifully showcases the country-style cooking traditions of Portugal. The key to its success lies in two essential steps: a long, aromatic marinade that tenderises the meat and infuses it with flavour, followed by a slow, gentle simmer that creates a rich, complex sauce.

Rabbit meat is lean and has a delicate, slightly gamey flavour that pairs wonderfully with the robust notes of red wine, garlic, and rosemary. The marinade is not just about flavour; the acidity from the wine helps to break down the proteins in the meat, ensuring a succulent result. Searing the rabbit pieces before stewing is another crucial step, as it caramelises the surface of the meat, adding another layer of deep, savoury flavour to the final dish.

While the recipe is perfect as is, you could add some diced bacon or chorizo at the beginning with the onions for an extra smoky depth. Mushrooms also make a wonderful addition, thrown in during the last 20 minutes of cooking. This stew is traditionally served with roasted potatoes and a simple salad, but it would be equally delicious with creamy polenta or plenty of crusty bread to mop up every last drop of the exquisite sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 rabbit
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 chilli pepper
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 750 ml red wine
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, sliced
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste

Preparation

  1. Cut the rabbit into pieces and place them in a bowl to marinate with the following ingredients: sweet paprika, pepper, chilli, bay leaves, the head of garlic (I used it cut in half), and the rosemary sprig.
  2. Cover the meat with 1 cup of the wine and let it marinate in the fridge for several hours (or overnight to use the next day).
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Drain the rabbit pieces from the marinade, pat them dry with paper towels, and brown them in the hot oil.
  4. Remove the browned rabbit pieces and set them aside.
  5. Drain most of the fat from the pot, leaving only about one tablespoon.
  6. Sauté the chopped onion until golden, then add the rosemary sprig from the marinade and the sliced carrot. Return the rabbit pieces to the pot and add the remaining red wine. Stir in the tomato paste and reduce the heat to low.
  7. Let it cook for about 1 hour over minimum heat, or until the rabbit is tender. Check for seasoning and adjust the salt at the end.
  8. Serve with roasted potatoes and a fresh salad.