Tuna-style Rabbit with Vegetable Giardiniera

In a large pot, bring 1 quart of water to a gentle boil with 2 tablespoons of salt (it should be very salty), cook the rabbit legs for 45-50 minutes, until the meat pulls away from the bone, then remove from the heat and let cool in the cooking liquid; this will take about 2 hours. In another pot, add the wine, vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt and boil rapidly for at least 10 minutes, so the alcohol evaporates.

Cut the onion into wedges; break the cauliflower into small florets; peel the carrot and celery with a potato peeler and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick. Boil the vegetables separately in the wine on the stove: first cook the celery and carrot slices for 5-6 minutes, then the onion wedges for 6-7 minutes, and finally the cauliflower florets for 7-8 minutes, lifting out each with a slotted spoon and cooling in very cold water, preferably with ice.

Dry all the vegetables with paper towels, transfer to a bowl, dress with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Purée the tomatoes and strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the seeds and skins; cook in a small pan with the tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil, 1 clove of garlic and a pinch of salt for about 15 minutes; at the end, remove the garlic and purée the sauce again to make it even smoother.

Take the rabbit legs out of the water, remove the meat from the bones, in large pieces; place these in a large dish, pressing them down well, then cover with oil, a mix of sunflower and extra-virgin. Seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, so the meat can absorb the dressing and become tender (ideally this could prepared 1 or 2 days ahead). Spoon the tomato sauce on plates, top with pieces of rabbit, drained from the oil, and the vegetable giardiniera and garnish with fresh marjoram and ground pepper.