When most people think of Liguria, their thoughts turn to the Cinque Terre and the elegant seaside towns of Portofino, Rapallo and Santa Margherita Ligure. Few, on the other hand, are familiar with the region’s delightful inland areas, where the cool, green landscape gradually gives way to timeless rocky peaks, mountain streams and enchanting medieval hilltop villages.
This is the Liguria of Edmondo Segre. His delightful 5-star property, La Meridiana, is tucked away in the languid little village of Garlenda near Albenga, and is the perfect retreat for anyone wishing to uncover Liguria’s lesser known charms.
Segre harbours the unshakable conviction that quality local produce coupled with the commitment to treat these ingredients with integrity and respect, represents Ligurian cuisine at its best.
Here our recipe calls for various types of nuts but you could of course substitute with just pine nuts or walnuts.
Ingredients
(for four to six people)
1 rabbit, weighing approx. 1.5 kg;
2 tbsp each, of finely chopped carrot, onion and celery;
1 tbsp each crushed walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, and hazelnuts;
1 clove garlic, minced;
1 bay leaf;
1 salted anchovy, rinsed and chopped;
1 tbsprinsed capers;
100 g black olives;
1 glass dry white wine;
50 ml extra virgin olive oil;
Meat or vegetable stock;
Handful fresh thyme, chopped.
Preparation
Chop rabbit into pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large pan and throw in the chopped carrot, onion and celery and cook until the onion is soft and transparent.
Add the pieces of rabbit and cook over a medium heat until the rabbit is browned on all sides. Throw in the crushed nuts, garlic, bay leaf, anchovy, capers and olives and toss ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper.
Turn up heat and pour in the white wine and stir until it most of wine has evaporated. Add just enough stock to cover the rabbit, then cook over a low heat until the sauce has thickened and the rabbit is cooked (40-50 minutes).
Stir in the chopped thyme and serve immediately with some creamy polenta.
