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Fenek (rabbit) traditional maltese dish

Traditional Maltese Rabbit Stew (Stuffat tal-Fenek)

Stuffat tal-Fenek is Malta’s national dish — a slow-cooked rabbit stew rich with tomato, garlic, wine, and bay leaf. It's a rustic, comforting recipe that reflects the island’s countryside roots and strong culinary heritage. Served with crusty bread, peas, and potatoes, it’s a true taste of Maltese home cooking and often the centerpiece of a Sunday family feast.
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Maltese
Keyword: beef stew recipe, Game, Malta, maltese food, Rabbit, Traditional Maltese
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 530.8kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • Brine 24 hours before
  • 8 rabbit legs
  • 1.2 L red wine enough to fully cover the legs
  • 10 –12 cloves garlic smashed
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • For Searing
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • Sauce Base Mirepoix
  • 3 medium onions chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 1 leek chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp kunserva tomato paste
  • 800 g canned San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 tsp curry powder adjust to taste
  • 750 ml vegetable stock
  • Vegetables
  • 500 g potatoes cubed
  • 2 carrots sliced
  • 200 g peas fresh or frozen
Start Cooking

Instructions

Brine the Rabbit (Day Before)

  • Place rabbit legs in a container.
  • Mix wine, smashed garlic, salt, and pepper.
  • Pour over the rabbit until fully submerged.
  • Cover and refrigerate 24 hours.

Prepare the Brine Reduction

  • Remove rabbit legs from the wine brine.
  • Reserve the wine and garlic.
  • Bring the wine to a boil in a saucepan.
  • As it heats, skim off coagulated blood or impurities.
  • Strain through a fine sieve.
  • Return to the pan and reduce by half.
  • Set aside for the sauce.

Sear the Rabbit (Pan Method)

  • Pat rabbit legs very dry with paper towels.
  • Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or deep pan.
  • Season rabbit with salt, pepper, and curry powder.
  • Sear on medium-high heat until deep golden brown on all sides.
  • Remove and set aside.

Cook the Sauce Base

  • In the same pot: Add onions, carrots, celery, leek, and garlic.
  • Cook 8–10 minutes until soft and lightly caramelized.
  • Add: curry powder and kunserva (tomato paste)
  • Fry for 2–3 minutes to develop flavor.
  • Deglaze with the reduced brine wine.
  • Add canned tomatoes and vegetable stock.
  • Simmer 20–30 minutes until vegetables are very soft.

Braise the Rabbit

  • Return the rabbit legs to the pot.
  • Cover with the sauce.
  • Simmer covered on low heat for 60–90 minutes, turning occasionally.
  • After about 45 minutes, add the cubed potatoes and sliced carrots so they cook gently in the sauce.
  • Add the peas during the last few minutes of cooking.
  • Cook until the rabbit meat is tender and pulling away from the bone.

Serving

  • Serve 2 rabbit legs per person with generous spoonfuls of the tomato sauce, potatoes, carrots, and peas.
  • Traditionally served with crusty bread to soak up the sauce or spaghetti tossed with some of the stew sauce before the rabbit is served.

Notes

Leftovers taste even better the next day — this is a perfect make-ahead dish.
For extra richness, add a splash of balsamic vinegar or a spoon of sugar with the tomato paste.
Traditional versions may marinate the rabbit in red wine overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 530.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.8g | Protein: 68.8g | Fat: 1407g