Chilean picante de conejo is a spicy rabbit stew made by brining rabbit pieces overnight, browning them, and simmering them for an hour with a sofrito of rocoto chili, onion, carrot, garlic, and parsley seasoned with turmeric and cumin, finished with roughly mashed boiled potatoes and cilantro. It takes 12 hours of preparation, mostly brining, plus 70 minutes of cooking and serves 6 people.
It is typical of northern Chile and part of a broader Latin American tradition of picantes, or spicy stews.
How to Make Chilean Picante de Conejo?
Set out all the ingredients before you start and respect the brining time of the meat for the best result. The rabbit is browned, simmered with the spicy sofrito, and combined with mashed potatoes at the end.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of picante de conejo contains approximately 450 kcal, 30 g of carbohydrates, 20 g of fat, 40 g of protein, 4 g of fiber, 3 g of sugars, 90 mg of cholesterol, and 600 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Chilean Picante de Conejo Recipe
Preparation: 12 hours
Cooking: 70 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 2 kg (4.4 lb) of rabbit, cut into pieces
- 90 ml (6 tablespoons) of oil
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) of potatoes, boiled
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 tablespoon of turmeric
- 1 rocoto chili, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup of chopped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Coarse salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Make a brine with 3 parts warm water and 1 part coarse salt, stir until dissolved, and submerge the rabbit pieces in a suitable dish. Add a sprig of rosemary if you like and refrigerate overnight. The next day, rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add the rabbit pieces, and brown them evenly on all sides. Remove and set aside. In the same pot, add the rocoto (or another hot chili), onion, carrot, garlic, and parsley, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Return the rabbit to the pot, pour in 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) of boiling water, stir, and season with turmeric, cumin, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over low heat for about 60 minutes, stirring now and then so nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Boil the potatoes and, once the rabbit is tender, roughly mash them with a fork and add them to the pot. Stir everything together. Serve the rabbit hot, sprinkled with cilantro, with white rice.
Additional Tips
Try a wine marinade
Instead of brine, marinate the rabbit in white wine with thyme and bay leaf for a few hours to tenderize it and add flavor.
Brown in batches
Sear the pieces in batches without crowding the pot so they brown evenly instead of releasing water.
Adjust the heat
Remove the seeds and veins of the rocoto for a milder picante.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabbit | Chicken thighs | 1:1 | Milder, cooks faster |
| Rocoto | Ají cacho de cabra or merkén | To taste | Smokier or milder heat |
| Brine | White wine and herb marinade | 2 to 4 hours | More aromatic |
| Pot | Pressure cooker | 25 to 30 minutes | Much faster |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I make picante de conejo in a pressure cooker?
Yes. It reduces the cooking time to about 25 to 30 minutes. Brown the rabbit well first and watch the amount of liquid so it does not dry out.
2. What can I use instead of rocoto?
Dried ají cacho de cabra, ají cristal, merkén, or green chili paste for a milder heat. Adjust to your taste.
3. Do I have to brine the rabbit?
It is not required, but it greatly improves texture and flavor. If you are short on time, a 2 hour brine or a wine and herb marinade works.
4. What should I serve it with?
White rice is the classic side, and the mashed potatoes in the stew make it a complete dish.
What Is Picante de Conejo?
Picante de conejo is a spicy Chilean rabbit stew from the north of the country, colored with turmeric and seasoned with rocoto and cumin, and thickened with mashed potatoes.
Benefits of Rabbit Meat
Rabbit meat is rich in vitamin B12, niacin, phosphorus, and potassium, and provides selenium and iron with low levels of saturated fat.
Did You Know?
Picantes are a family of spicy stews found in northern Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, made with rabbit, chicken, tripe, or seafood and usually served with potatoes and rice.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
Recommended
- Chilean Pickled Rabbit
- Chilean Guatitas a la Jardinera
- Chilean Spicy Limpets
- Chilean Smoked Pork Cazuela
