Rabbit Thighs with Rosehip Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 3 Garlic cloves
• 4 rabbit thighs (250 g each)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 20 g spelt whole-grain flour (1–2 tbsp)
• 5 tbsp Rapeseed Oil
• 200 ml dry white wine
• 400 ml poultry stock
• 2 Bay leaves
• 3 sprigs tarragon
• 250 g rosehips
• 2 shallots
• 10 peppercorns
• 200 ml apple juice
• a pinch of raw sugar
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. 1.

   Peel and finely dice the onion and garlic. Pat the rabbit thighs dry, season with salt and pepper, then dust with flour.

2. 2.

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Brown the meat all sides for 5–10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add 1 tbsp oil to the pot, sauté onion and garlic for 3 minutes on medium heat. Deglaze with white wine, add 250 ml stock, return rabbit thighs, add bay leaves, cover, and braise in a preheated oven at 180 °C (160 °C fan) for 30 minutes. Wash tarragon, dry, and chop. Add stems to the pot and cook uncovered for another 15 minutes, turning frequently and adding more stock as needed.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: clean, halve, and pit rosehips; peel and chop shallots; crush peppercorns in a mortar. Heat remaining oil in a saucepan, sauté shallots for 3 minutes on medium heat. Add rosehips and cook for 5 minutes. Deglaze with apple juice, add salt, crushed pepper, sugar, vinegar, and spices, stirring constantly. Simmer for about 15 minutes until thickened. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then serve over the rabbit thighs.