2009 TopCubans.com Game Recipe

The 2009 Game Season is now in full swing, which means that it is time for the traditional TopCubans.com Game Recipe – This year, Rick and I will prepare Daube de Sanglier (Slow Cooked Wild Boar). Please find below the full recipe for this dish and above the photos from our hunting trip during which we got our Boar. Try it and give us your feedback - Ingredients 1.5kg/3lb 5oz boneless shoulder of wild boar For the marinade 2 bay leaves 4 large thyme sprigs 3 x 18cm/7in rosemary sprigs 1 fat celery stick, roughly chopped 300ml/10½fl oz gusty red wine such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or the Corsican Niellucciu 8 cloves 2 medium onions, sliced 6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed 12 black peppercorns 1 tbsp juniper berries, lightly crushed For the stew 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 200g/7oz small chorizo sausage or figatellu sausage, cut into 4-5mm/¼in-thick slices 2 tsp tomato purée 2 tsp plain flour 100ml/3½fl oz red vermouth, such as the local Cap Corse 450ml/15¾fl oz beef stock 50g/1¾oz dried porcini mushrooms 50g/2oz chestnuts, cooked and peeled and vacuum-packed 1 tbsp butter 200g/7oz mixed wild mushrooms, including some chanterelles, wiped clean and sliced if large salt and freshly ground black pepper handful parsley, chopped, to garnish Method 1. Cut the wild boar into 5cm/2in chunks and put the pieces of meat into a large bowl. Add all the ingredients for the marinade, mix together well, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 24 hours, stirring it occasionally. 2. The next day, set a colander over another clean bowl and tip in the marinated meat. Drain well and reserve the wine collected in the bowl. 3. Separate the meat from the rest of the marinade ingredients and set aside. Heat half the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and fry the meat in batches until it is browned all over. Season as you go and add a little more oil if needed. 4. Return all the meat to the casserole dish with a little more oil if necessary. Add the chorizo or figatellu and fry for a minute or two until lightly golden. Add the remaining marinade ingredients reserved in the colander and fry until soft and richly browned. 5. Stir in the tomato purée and fry for another minute. Stir in the flour followed by the red vermouth, the reserved wine from the marinade, beef stock, porcini mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and ten turns of the black pepper mill. Bring to the boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid and leave to simmer gently for 1-1½ hours. 6. Add the chestnuts to the casserole, replace the cover and cook for another 20-30 minutes or until the meat is very tender. 7. Shortly before the stew is ready, heat the butter in a large frying pan, add the wild mushrooms and some salt and freshly ground black pepper and fry briskly over a high heat for 1-2 minutes. Stir them into the casserole, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.