The delicate flavor of the rabbit and the velvety sauce complement the body of the Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Terre di Chieti Riserva Marina Cvetic 2024 Masciarelli, which we recommend pairing with this dish.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 1 rabbit, cut into pieces, about 1.3 kg
- 8 small shallots
- 50 g shelled hazelnuts
- 2 egg yolks
- 120 ml dry white wine
- About 300 ml of light vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- grated zest of half an untreated lemon
- 4 sprigs of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 clove of garlic
- 20 g butter
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- white pepper
Procedure
Thoroughly dry the pieces of rabbit. Heat the oil, butter, garlic clove, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Add the rabbit and brown it over high heat, turning it until it is evenly browned.
Remove the garlic, season lightly with salt, and add the shallots , leaving them whole. Deglaze with white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
Pour about 200 ml of hot broth, add half the thyme, cover, and cook over low heat for 35–40 minutes. Turn the pieces occasionally and add more broth if necessary. When done, the rabbit should be tender and the cooking liquid should still be sufficiently liquid.
Toast the hazelnuts in a skillet without any oil. Let them cool slightly, then chop them coarsely.
Remove the rabbit and shallots from the casserole and keep them warm. Remove the bay leaf and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Beat the egg yolks with the lemon juice and zest. Gradually stir in a few tablespoons of the hot liquid at a time, continuing to stir. Pour the mixture into the saucepan and let it thicken over very low heat, without bringing it to a boil.
Return the rabbit and shallots to the sauce, turning them gently. Finish with the toasted hazelnuts and the remaining thyme.
Serve immediately, accompanied, if desired, by mashed potatoes that’s very simple to make.
In the glass, chosen by Stefania Vinciguerra
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Terre di Chieti Riserva Marina Cvetic 2024 Masciarelli
Intense straw yellow. On the nose, apricot, ripe peach, and medlar intertwine with chamomile, vanilla, sweet spices, and light notes of dried fruit. The palate is full-bodied and enveloping, with a creamy texture, supported by well-integrated oak that adds elegant spicy notes. The finish is long, savory, and persistent.
Production area: The vineyards are located in three municipalities in the province of Chieti: in Bucchianico, at an elevation of 250 meters, at the foot of majestic badlands; in San Martino sulla Marrucina, at 400 meters, where the vineyards blend seamlessly into the wooded landscape; and in Ripa Teatina, at 150 meters, where the soil is rich in rock fragments and river sediments.
Grape Varieties: 100% Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, vines aged 20–50 years, trained using the Guyot system with 6,000 vines per hectare and the pergola (canopy) system with 1,600 vines. The yield per hectare is 70–80 quintals.
Grape Harvest: hand-picked in mid-October
Production processes: cryomaceration in a press for 12 hours, followed by fermentation in French oak barriques. The wine ages on its lees throughout the entire period, with frequent bâtonnage, followed by bottle aging.
Alcohol content: 14% vol.
Serving temperature: 10-12°C.
Recommended pairings: fish, white meat, cheese
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