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Serves: 4-6
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes plus 24 hrs marinating and 30 mins resting
Effort: easy.
For the marinade
•2 red onions, finely chopped
•4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
•2 sprigs rosemary
•3 cloves
•6 juniper berries, crushed
•1 tbsp brown sugar
•100 ml red wine vinegar
•100 ml rapeseed oil
•100 ml red wine, preferably Barolo
•1 orange, grated zest and juice
•2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
•2 sprigs thyme
•1 tbsp crushed black peppercorns
For the wild boar
•1 shoulder wild boar, de-boned, fat scored in diamond pattern
•3 tbsp rapeseed oil
•100 g smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
•8 shallots, finely chopped
•2 sticks celery, chopped
•250 ml red wine, preferably Barolo
•1 litres chicken stock, plus extra if necessary
•2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
•watercress, to garnish
For the polenta
•570 ml chicken stock
•150 g instant polenta
•100 ml double cream
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 130C/110C fan/gas ½.
2. For the marinade: place all the ingredients in a plastic bowl, add the wild boar and mix together. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for 24 hours.
3. For the wild boar: remove the meat from the marinade and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Reserve the marinade.
4. Heat half the oil in a deep roasting tin or large casserole and fry the bacon over a medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
5. Fry the wild boar in the roasting tin for 3-4 minutes, or until light golden. Season well with sea salt and black pepper and set the wild boar aside with the bacon.
6. Add the remaining oil and fry the shallots and celery until softened. Return the bacon and wild boar to the pan. Add the wine, stock and reserved marinade and stir well. Scatter over the parsley and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced.
7. Remove the pan from the heat, cover with foil (or a lid if you have one) and cook in the oven for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Baste regularly by pouring the cooking juices back over the meat, and add more stock if necessary.
8. Uncover the pan and cook for a further 10 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and leave covered in a warm place to rest for 30 minutes.
9. For the polenta: in a large, heavy-based saucepan, bring the chicken stock to the boil over a medium heat.
10. Add the polenta to the hot stock in a thin, steady stream. Stir immediately with a wooden spoon and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes (or according to packet instructions). The polenta will thicken and have the texture of mashed potato when cooked.
11. Stir the cream through the polenta and season to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Slice the wild boar and serve with the pan juices and creamed polenta, and garnish with watercress.
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes plus 24 hrs marinating and 30 mins resting
Effort: easy.
For the marinade
•2 red onions, finely chopped
•4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
•2 sprigs rosemary
•3 cloves
•6 juniper berries, crushed
•1 tbsp brown sugar
•100 ml red wine vinegar
•100 ml rapeseed oil
•100 ml red wine, preferably Barolo
•1 orange, grated zest and juice
•2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
•2 sprigs thyme
•1 tbsp crushed black peppercorns
For the wild boar
•1 shoulder wild boar, de-boned, fat scored in diamond pattern
•3 tbsp rapeseed oil
•100 g smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
•8 shallots, finely chopped
•2 sticks celery, chopped
•250 ml red wine, preferably Barolo
•1 litres chicken stock, plus extra if necessary
•2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
•watercress, to garnish
For the polenta
•570 ml chicken stock
•150 g instant polenta
•100 ml double cream
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 130C/110C fan/gas ½.
2. For the marinade: place all the ingredients in a plastic bowl, add the wild boar and mix together. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for 24 hours.
3. For the wild boar: remove the meat from the marinade and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Reserve the marinade.
4. Heat half the oil in a deep roasting tin or large casserole and fry the bacon over a medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
5. Fry the wild boar in the roasting tin for 3-4 minutes, or until light golden. Season well with sea salt and black pepper and set the wild boar aside with the bacon.
6. Add the remaining oil and fry the shallots and celery until softened. Return the bacon and wild boar to the pan. Add the wine, stock and reserved marinade and stir well. Scatter over the parsley and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced.
7. Remove the pan from the heat, cover with foil (or a lid if you have one) and cook in the oven for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Baste regularly by pouring the cooking juices back over the meat, and add more stock if necessary.
8. Uncover the pan and cook for a further 10 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and leave covered in a warm place to rest for 30 minutes.
9. For the polenta: in a large, heavy-based saucepan, bring the chicken stock to the boil over a medium heat.
10. Add the polenta to the hot stock in a thin, steady stream. Stir immediately with a wooden spoon and continue stirring for 2-3 minutes (or according to packet instructions). The polenta will thicken and have the texture of mashed potato when cooked.
11. Stir the cream through the polenta and season to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Slice the wild boar and serve with the pan juices and creamed polenta, and garnish with watercress.
