Never cook in a bad mood, advises Chris Mifsud Bonnici, the force behind Valletta’s Legligin and a true enthusiast for anything Maltese.

This recipe for pan-fried rabbit, simmered in red wine, wild herbs and garlic, brings together the foundations of Maltese cooking.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole rabbit
• 2 spring onions
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tbsp of butter
• 2 glasses red wine
• 8 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp wild thyme
• 1 tbsp rosemary
• Tomato pulp
• Bottle of stout beer
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Can of peas

METHOD

Cut a rabbit into pieces and season well with coarse sea salt and pepper. Heat up the olive oil to high temperature and seal well the rabbit pieces on both sides. In a casserole dish, fry in olive oil some spring onions and lots of garlic. Add a generous knob of butter.

Sprinkle, and then rub into the rabbit pieces, wild thyme and rosemary and add to the casserole dish.

Mix well and fry for a few minutes; then add some red wine. Add bay leaves, some cumin and paprika, some whole crushed garlic and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes.

Add more red wine and a can of tomato pulp and a bottle of stout beer; bring to a boil and then turn to low simmering heat and cover with a lid.

Cook for a further 40 minutes. Let it rest (covered) for 10 minutes and serve.