Ingredients for 4 people:800 g wild boar cut into pieces (both with and without bones)1 l full-bodied red wine300 g chopped tomato paste (optional)150 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil1 average size red onion1 carrot1 stalk of celery1 sprig of bay leaves10 juniper berries10 black peppercorns1 dried chilli pepper salt
One of the secrets for preparing an excellent dish with wild boar, is to use both chunks of meat and pieces on the bone, because they give more flavour to the dish. Preparation begins the day (or evening) before. Put the pieces of wild boar in a large bowl with the red wine, juniper berries, peppercorns and bay leaves, and leave them to marinate overnight. The following morning, take a colander and tip the contents of the bowl into it, straining off all the liquid and setting aside the spices that were in the marinade.
Another little secret that you may already know: at the beginning, the wild boar should be cooked on its own, so that it can release its juices; which you will then drain off by putting the lid on the pan and tipping it up. Repeat this process a couple of times, so that the meat looses it “feral” smell. Pour about ½ cm of oil into another pan and sauté the coarsely chopped onion, celery and carrot over a moderate heat. As soon as the onion begins to turn golden brown, add the pieces of wild boar, the whole chilli pepper and all the spices set aside from the marinade. At this point, stir well, pour in 2 glasses of red wine and let it evaporate. Now, if you want your stew to have more colour and a fuller taste, you can add the tomatoes and enough water to cover the meat, alternatively just add water or light broth. Leave to simmer, over a very low heat for 3 hours (depending on how tender the meat is); don’t forget to stir every now and again and, if the liquid reduces too much, add a little more hot water.
You can serve this wild boar stew accompanied by hot, grilled polenta and garnished with fresh bay leaves. And don’t forget some nice rustic bread, to dunk in the sauce, and a good full-bodied red wine (maybe the same used for the marinade) to accompany everything.