Recipes 09

Wild Boar Pate

(Prepare this pate at least 48 hours before you plan to serve it.)

Serves 6

• 2 large chicken breasts
• ¾ cup back fat from pork chops
• ¾ lb. wild boar and/or pork
• ½ cup duck livers (optional, but a great addition)
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled & cored
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 3 juniper berries
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tsp mixed dried herbs – marjoram, sage thyme
• ¼ cup brandy
• ¼ cup Port or Madeira
• 1 lb bacon, preferably double smoked
• 2 large eggs

Dice the chicken, wild boar or pork, the fat and livers (if using) into walnut-size pieces.
‍
In a very hot skillet quickly sauté the meat in small batches to brown on all sides. The meat should still be rare.

In a bowl place the meat and apple cut into chunks and sprinkle with salt, pepper, nutmeg, juniper, 1 bay leaf, dried herbs, brandy and Port. Enjoy a sip of brandy or Port yourself. Mix well and cover. Chill for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove the bay leaf and lift meat out of the marinade, reserving liquid. Grind the marinated meat and apple in a meat grinder fitted with a coarse blade or in a food processor. Process in very small batches.

Dice the bacon into small pieces and mix into the pate. Mix in the eggs and juices from the marinade and mix well. Spoon off about a tablespoon of pate, form it into a small patty and fry it to test the seasoning. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Fill a terrine or loaf pan with the meat, smooth the top and decorate with bay leaves. Bake in oven for 60 minutes.

While the pate bakes, some fat will rise to the top. If you let the fat cool with the pate, it will seal the meat and allow the flavours to develop more fully.

Leave it for two days or so and you will be amply rewarded. The fat may be removed before serving, or may be eaten with the pate, depending on your preference. This pate will keep chilled for six to eight days.

Wild Boar with Orange glaze and wilted Spinach

Serves 1
‍
Preparation time: Less than 30 mins
Cooking time: 10 to 30 mins

• 300g/10½oz wild boar fillet
• Pinch of black pepper
• 2 slices serrano ham
• A little oil, for cooking

For the glaze
• 55g/2oz soft brown sugar
• 1 orange, juice and zest only
• Splash of white wine vinegar
• Splash of white wine
• Pinch of chilli flakes
• 1 clove garlic, crushed

For the spinach
• Knob of butter
• 150g/5¼oz spinach leaves, washed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Heat an ovenproof pan with a little oil over medium heat.

Season the wild boar fillet with pepper and wrap with the serrano ham.

Pan-fry for two minutes on each side, then place the pan into the oven for 6-8 minutes until the pork has cooked through. Remove.

In a saucepan, heat the brown sugar, orange juice and zest until the sugar has melted.

Whisk in the vinegar, white wine, chilli flakes and garlic. Cook until the liquid has thickened into a syrupy glaze.

Coat the wild boar fillet in the glaze and allow to rest for five minutes.

Meanwhile, wilt the spinach in a hot pan with a knob of butter.

Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, slice the boar fillet diagonally and arrange on a bed of spinach.

Drizzle with the remaining glaze.