Did you know that Wild Boar can have as much Omega 3 fatty acids as some types of fatty fish, like salmon? Did you know that the antioxidants found in red wine may help to prevent heart disease?

 

Well, it just so happens that Wild Boar pairs amazingly well with red wine. So one could theoretically argue that by preparing this dish, one is exercising good healthy living habits.  At least, that’s what I tell myself to justify eating this dish. Okay, enough of that.

 

Since this recipe calls for a great red wine, I have paired it with a signature wine from Martín Berdugo. The vintage 2009 MB is a sophisticated Tempranillo that pair perfectly with this dish.... I get hungry (and thirsty) just thinking about it. 

Ingredients

Serves 4

1000 g boar shoulder, bone removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped 
2 packages fresh potato knödel  
1 jar fresh Barlauch pesto 
100 ml  pomegranate juice
150 ml honey 
500 g fresh cranberries 
  juice of one orange
1 cinnamon stick
1 ginger (2cm) 
  olive oil
  salt and pepper 

Method

 

The boar in the picture that you see above looks like a piece of filet, right? It’s actually Boar shoulder without the bone. I rolled it and tied it with some string. Not bad, eh? It’s totally easy. Ask your butcher to remove the bone for you, to make things easier.

 

For the boar:

 

Mix a little olive oil with the garlic and rub it all over the boar. Season the boar with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the herbs on one side of the meat so that when you roll the meat into a log form, the herbs are on the inside. Tie the boar together with kitchen string at intervals large enough so that a piece of string is in the center of each portion.

 

Slowly roast it in the oven at 80°C for three hours. Remove from the oven and let it rest for ten minutes. Slice the boar into portions so that the string is still in the center of each piece.

 

Heat olive oil in a pan over high heat and sear the boar portions on all sides. Remove the string before serving.

 

 

For the cranberry chutney:

 

In a saucepan combine pomegranate juice, honey, fresh cranberries, juice of one orange, cinnamon stick, ginger and a pinch of salt. Simmer for thirty minutes. You will have extra which you can freeze if you like.

 

For the Knödel:

 

Okay, this part is super easy. Mix the knödel with three tablespoons of the pesto. Form into balls and cook in simmering salty water until the they float. Easy, right?