Hello Brodie;
The other most common way of cooking rabbit in Malta is fried with white wine. I fry the rabbit pieces in a light olive oil until browned on all sides, then add sliced white onion and a little thinly sliced green pepper; fry for a few minutes more til the peppers start to colour and then add plenty of garlic. This can either be finely chopped garlic cloves or in winter in Malta the baby garlic is used, which looks like spring onion, and is delicious. When the garlic has started to colour add white wine, salt and pepper and a teaspoon of sugar. The trick is not to have it swimming in wine; you want just a finger's depth in the bottom of the pan, which should have a tight fitting lid. Now turn the heat down very low, and cook it slowly, checking regularly to see that it doesn't stick, and adding wine little by little. It is not good to cook it in too much depth of wine. Keep cooking until the rabbit is very tender. This is best served with chips and salad, and crusty Maltese bread.
One way I like to do it, which is not so traditionally Maltese but still good, is to marinade for a couple of hours and then cook it in Marsala wine. The cooking is much as for the white wine recipe, but much less garlic, and I use sliced mushrooms instead of peppers; and at the end when the last of the Marsala is reduced I stir in some double cream. This is good with roast potatoes, green beans etc.
Don't forget the rabbit livers! I use them to make a first course; I cut into finger-strips, and lightly fry in butter with a little garlic; when they have browned but are still pink inside I add some brandy, and season it, and when the brandy has reduced to make a thick sauce plonk it on individual servings of mixed leaf salad that has been tossed in a sweet vinaigrette. It is pretty good.
Adrian
