Hunter-style rabbit with olives (Coniglio alla cacciatora)

1. Cut the rabbit into 8-10 pieces (or ask your butcher to do it), rinse the pieces in cold water, pat dry and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan and brown the rabbit in batches for 8-10 minutes on all sides until golden; remove.

3. In the same pan, soften the finely chopped onion, carrot and celery for 8 minutes, then add the crushed garlic and rosemary.

4. Return the meat, pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 3-4 minutes, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.

5. Add the chopped tomatoes and stock, cover and simmer over low heat for 50-60 minutes until tender; add the black olives for the last 10 minutes.

6. Serve with creamy polenta or fresh bread.

Tip: Rabbit is very lean and dries out easily - always braise it covered over low heat and top up with stock if needed.