- 4
Ingredients
- 4 SERVINGS
- A contemporary civet (traditionally, a stew that is thickened with the animal’s blood). Here the sauce is thickened with bitter chocolate. Purists may use 1/2 cup blood instead of chocolate.
- • 3 1/2 to 4 pounds wild boar shoulder, well trimmed and silver skin removed, cut into
- • 1-inch cubes
- • 3 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
- • 1 each onion and carrot, coarsely chopped
- • 1 jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped
- • 1 head garlic, cut crosswise in half
- • 2 (750-ml) bottles hearty red wine
- • 1 cup red wine vinegar
- • 1 bouquet garni: 1/2 cup juniper berries, 1/2 cup black peppercorns, 5 whole cloves, 2 bay leaves, and 2 sprigs rosemary, tied in cheesecloth
- • Peanut oil or corn oil for sautéing
- • 2 tablespoons each all-purpose flour, tomato paste, and paprika
- • 2 cups veal or chicken stock
- • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- • 1 tablespoon grated bitter chocolate
- • Small sprigs rosemary, to garnish
- Serve over polenta, spaetzle, or broad noodles.
Preparation
Step 1
1. Combine boar, celery, onion, carrot, jalapeno, and garlic in a deep nonreactive bowl. Pour in 1 ½ bottles of the red wine and the vinegar. Add bouquet garni. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 days or, preferably, 1 week. Mix and stir occasionally to marinate evenly. Remove meat and chopped vegetables from marinade. Blot dry on paper towels. Discard bouquet garni. Pour marinade into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Strain through a fine strainer, then set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Pour in enough oil to cover bottom by ½ inch. When hot, add boar and vegetables, and sauté until browned, turning to cook all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Do not crowd ingredients.
Add flour, tomato paste, and paprika, and continue stirring and cooking until meat is well coated.
Deglaze pan with the remaining ½ bottle of wine, stirring to incorporate all cooking bits. Transfer mixture to a heavy casserole. Stir in stock and reserved marinade.
Gently simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper. Strain stew and let cool. Discard vegetables.
Recipe may be prepared up to this point 24 hours ahead of time.
Return meat and sauce to pot. Stir in chocolate, bring to a boil, and cook until sauce is thickened. Spoon civet over noodles, polenta, or spaetzle, if serving, and garnish with small sprigs of rosemary.