Easter Sunday use to be a big deal in our family with a Christmas-style feast and plenty of chocolate eggs being scoffed.
The occasion was ceremoniously marked because we all would have reluctantly given up something for lent and so when Easter Sunday came around we felt we all deserved a pig-out.
I haven’t eaten an Easter egg in years. I’m not a big fan because I think the chocolate often tastes of cheap fat but seeing as they are so inexpensive at the moment, I might be tempted. A couple of years ago a decent Easter egg was around €5 but now you can get them for €1.99.
This year, I think I’ll make more of an effort and put on a Sunday lunch. Traditionally lamb, ham or rabbit are served, but seeing as there is plenty of rabbit on offer in my local butcher I’m putting bunny on the menu. I was in Tuscany last summer and ate some amazing rabbit dishes. I discovered that this meat marries well with Italian flavours; this Italian Baked Rabbit recipe is a perfect example of this union.
Tomorrow, I’ll publish a recipe for a cheap, easy, and delicious Easter dessert.
Do you take part in a traditional Easter Sunday meal?
Italian Baked Rabbit
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 rabbit , jointed into 6-8 pieces (ask the butcher to do this)
- Olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 tbsp chopped parsley
- Oregano or marjoram, finely chopped to make 1 tbsp
- 2 lemons, zested and the juice of one, the other cut into wedges
- A handful of green olives , pitted or whole
- 3 potatoes cut into chunks
- 300ml white wine
Instructions:
- Heat the oven to 180C. Brown the rabbit pieces in a little olive oil in a large ovenproof casserole then remove. Tip in a little more oil, add the onion and fry over a low heat for a couple of minutes. Add the garlic, 2 tbsp parsley and the oregano or marjoram. Cook until an aromatic paste, then return the rabbit to the casserole.
- Stir in the lemon zest and juice, the olives, potatoes and wine. Bring to the boil and season well. Cover with a lid and bake for 1 hour, remove the lid and bake for a further 30 minutes to reduce the sauce a little. Stir in the remaining parsley.