Coniglio alla Ligure — Rabbit Braised with Olives, Pine Nuts, and Herbs

Ingredients

• 1 (approx. 1.4 kg) rabbit, jointed into 8–10 pieces, patted dry
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, Ligurian if available
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
• 20 g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 150 ml warm water; squeezed and roughly chopped; soaking water reserved and strained
• 200 ml Vermentino or Pigato, a generous glass of dry Ligurian white wine
• 120 g Taggiasca olives, whole (unpitted) for the full braise, or pitted and added in the final 30 minutes
• 40 g pine nuts
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 1 tbsp fresh marjoram leaves, or 1 tsp dried; the defining Ligurian herb
• 100 ml water, scant; added to the braise
• to taste fine sea salt and black pepper

Method

1. 1
   Season the rabbit pieces on all sides with salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-based braising vessel over high heat. Brown the rabbit pieces in uncrowded batches, turning once, until deeply golden on all surfaces. Remove to a plate. The pieces must be deeply coloured — not steamed — before the braise begins; pallor here cannot be recovered.
2. 2
   Reduce the heat to medium. In the fat remaining in the pan, soften the shallots and garlic until translucent and without colour. Add the squeezed, chopped porcini and their strained soaking water. Stir to incorporate the soaking liquid and allow it to reduce by half; the liquid will smell of concentrated woodland mushroom.
3. 3
   Return the rabbit pieces to the pan. Pour in the Vermentino or Pigato and raise the heat. Allow the wine to evaporate almost entirely — the sharp alcohol smell gives way to a clean, fruity acidity that signals the moment to proceed.
4. 4
   Add the whole Taggiasca olives (or reserve pitted olives for the final 30 minutes), pine nuts, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, and the scant water. Stir gently to distribute. Bring to a bare simmer, cover, and braise over the lowest possible heat for 1 to 1½ hours. This is the step on which the dish lives or dies: the heat must be low enough that the liquid barely trembles; any vigour will tighten the rabbit meat irreversibly rather than rendering it tender.
5. 5
   If using pitted olives, add them now and stir in. Remove the lid and continue cooking for a further 15 minutes to concentrate and thicken the sauce.
6. 6
   Test the rabbit by pressing a thigh piece gently with a spoon: the meat must yield and begin to separate from the bone without resistance. Any resistance signals that the braise requires more time, covered, before the final reduction. Adjust seasoning and serve.