The Maremma is a coastal area of Tuscany, bordering the Tyrrhenian Sea, that encompasses much of south-western Tuscany and a part of northern Lazio as well. It is a lovely area of seaside towns, long stretches of beaches, endless horizons and a wealth of natural beauty. As one can imagine, it is a popular tourist area during the summer months but has its own charms that can be enjoyed all throughout the year and some that might even be more enjoyable in the colder months; such as the hiking and walking trails that are more enjoyable without intense heat, the stark landscapes of the beaches in winter, the quiet of the resorts out of season, and more. However, another great part of Autumn and Winter in Maremma is the Tuscan cuisine, which is perfect for getting cosy on cooler days, and an ideal Maremma dish on days like this is Cinghiale alla Maremmana.
This Maremman-style wild boar dish is a very popular use of wild boar, a beloved staple of the cuisine in the Maremma, an area in which many families still hunt their own game. Tasty, rich and warming, it is a must for anyone who finds a vacation rental in Maremma and heads there in the next few months. And if you can't wait that long? Why not try making it at home while you plan your trip. Boar may be harder to source in your parts but pork is an easy replacement and tastes almost as good.
Ingredients:
Serves 4
800g of boar shoulder
80g of pork fat
1 onion
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
500ml of red wine
1 sprig of rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon juniper berries
4 cloves
Salt
Pepper
Method:
1. Cut the meat into little pieces to stew. Put it in the freezer for two days and then remove and leave to defrost at room temperature. Brown in a pan for ten minutes without adding the rest of the ingredients to prevent too strong a boar flavour from interacting with the other elements of the dish.
2. Cut little pieces of the pork fat and put it in a mixer with the onions, carrots and celery and blend it all together. Transfer the mixture into a pan with the extra virgin olive out and brown for ten minutes over medium heat. Add the meat and cook for a few minutes, mixing every now and then. Add the rosemary, bay leaves, juniper berries, cloves and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
3. Pour in the wine, mix carefully and leave to cook for an hour and a half over a lower heat, mixing occasionally. At the end, add salt and pepper to taste and serve with lots of bread to mop up all the delicious juices.
4. Enjoy and plan your trip to Tuscany!
Ingredients:
Serves 4
800g of boar shoulder
80g of pork fat
1 onion
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
500ml of red wine
1 sprig of rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon juniper berries
4 cloves
Salt
Pepper
Method:
1. Cut the meat into little pieces to stew. Put it in the freezer for two days and then remove and leave to defrost at room temperature. Brown in a pan for ten minutes without adding the rest of the ingredients to prevent too strong a boar flavour from interacting with the other elements of the dish.
2. Cut little pieces of the pork fat and put it in a mixer with the onions, carrots and celery and blend it all together. Transfer the mixture into a pan with the extra virgin olive out and brown for ten minutes over medium heat. Add the meat and cook for a few minutes, mixing every now and then. Add the rosemary, bay leaves, juniper berries, cloves and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
3. Pour in the wine, mix carefully and leave to cook for an hour and a half over a lower heat, mixing occasionally. At the end, add salt and pepper to taste and serve with lots of bread to mop up all the delicious juices.
4. Enjoy and plan your trip to Tuscany!
Photo credit: Kristian Thy / CC BY 2.0
