Rabbit with Rosehip Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 carrots
• 2 onions
• 200 g celery root
• 1 rabbit (about 1.4 kg, butcher‑cut)
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 250 ml dry white wine
• 250 ml game stock
• 4 juniper berries
• 1 tsp peppercorns
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 125 ml heavy cream
• 3 tbsp rosehip pulp
• rosehip for garnish

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) with both fan and top heating.

2. 2.

   Peel and dice the carrots, onions, and celery root. Wash the rabbit pieces, pat dry, season with salt and pepper, then sear them in 2 tbsp hot oil until golden brown on all sides; remove from the pot. In the remaining oil, brown the vegetables, deglaze with white wine, add a splash of stock, and return the meat to the pan. Add juniper berries, peppercorns, thyme, and bay leaf to the sauce and cover in the oven for about 1.5 hours, basting occasionally with stock. In the last 30 minutes, leave uncovered and turn the meat periodically.

3. 3.

   Remove the rabbit from the cooking liquid and let it rest wrapped in foil. Strain the sauce. Stir in heavy cream and rosehip pulp, simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Add more stock if needed and season with salt and pepper. Return the rabbit briefly to the sauce, then serve on plates, garnished with fresh rosehips.