Gazpacho Manchego
Despite its name, this is a hearty hot game stew from the plains of La Mancha, thickened with torn pieces of unleavened flatbread that cook right in the pot. It is shepherds' food: filling, rustic and built to be shared straight from the pan.
Approximate, per 1 plate (~350g). Values vary by recipe and portion.
Ingredients
- ·1 rabbit, jointed (about 1.2 kg), or a mix of rabbit and partridge
- ·300 g torta cenceña (unleavened flatbread), broken into rough pieces; failing that, a plain thin flatbread
- ·1 onion, finely chopped
- ·3 garlic cloves, chopped
- ·2 ripe tomatoes, grated
- ·1 green pepper, chopped
- ·200 g mixed wild mushrooms, if available
- ·1 teaspoon sweet pimentón
- ·1 sprig of rosemary and 1 bay leaf
- ·120 ml olive oil
- ·1.5 litres water or light game stock
- ·Salt and black pepper
Method
- 1
Season the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep pan and brown the meat well on all sides over medium-high heat, then set it aside.
- 2
Lower the heat and soften the onion, green pepper and garlic in the same oil for about 10 minutes until sweet and golden.
- 3
Add the mushrooms, if using, and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the grated tomato and cook it down until it darkens and loses its raw smell.
- 4
Off the heat, stir in the pimentón so it does not burn, then return the rabbit to the pan with the rosemary and bay leaf.
- 5
Pour in the water or stock, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook covered for about 1 hour, until the meat is tender and pulling from the bone.
- 6
Lift out the meat, take it off the bones if you prefer, and return it to the pot. Taste and adjust the salt now, as the bread will soak up seasoning.
- 7
Scatter in the broken flatbread and simmer uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the bread swells and the stew thickens to a soft, almost spoonable mass.
- 8
Let it rest off the heat for 5 minutes, then serve very hot, straight from the pan at the centre of the table.