Wild Boar Ragù

Wild Boar Ragù
Wild Boar Ragù
Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from I Like Food, Food Tastes Good: In the Kitchen with Your Favorite Bands by Kara Zuaro. The Violent Femmes from Brian Ritchie If adolescence had an official soundtrack, it would be provided by the Violent Femmes. They're not quite indie rock, but if you haven't got their self-titled debut CD in your neatly alphabetized record collection, nestled somewhere between the Velvet Teen and Weezer, then your roommate must have stolen it. Brian Ritchie's acoustic bass line has no doubt rocked your teenage dance parties, and now he's going to up the ante at your next dinner soirée. "My strategy is to eat food at a restaurant and then try to guess how they made it. Then I add my own ideas," Brian explains. "I used to live in Italy, and this is my version of something I had in Florence. This recipe is as good as what you'd get there." I picked up some wild boar from New York's Citarella Fine Foods, but I had to place an order a few days in advance, and the smallest amount they would sell me was a whopping five pounds of meat. Fortunately, this deeply flavorful stew is something I'll be happy to make again (half the boar is still in my freezer) — but if you don't have easy access to wild boar, try another type of meat, as Brian suggests below. "Ragù is a winter dish characterized by meat and tomatoes. It is traditional to cook it all day, adding more liquid if it starts to dry out. Italians use fresh tomatoes in the summer and canned in winter. "Making a ragù is like playing jazz. You have to be creative, tasteful, and able to adapt to the circumstances. The beauty of ragù is that everybody is free to develop their own. Aside from meat and tomatoes, you can basically add whichever other spices and ingredients appeal to you. If you don't want wild boar, substitute any other meat you like — lamb, pork, veal, beef, or venison. I have made this dish with all of those depending on availability and what looks good at the butcher. "Note: I do not use a recipe or exact quantities when I cook. These quantities are just to give you a rough idea. Adjust to your own taste." —Brian Ritchie
  • Preparing Time: -
  • Total Time: -
  • Served Person: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Italian Cheese Dairy Fish Garlic Herb Onion Pasta Pepper Tomato Sauté Dinner Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup red wine
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes
  • 5 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 5 cloves
  • n/a
  • 1 large spanish onion (chopped)
  • 2 pounds boneless wild boar meat (cut for stew)
  • 3 dried chili peppers (crushed)
  • 3 sun-dried tomatoes
  • 3 anchovies or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
  • fresh or dried oregano, basil, and sage
  • pasta (pappardelle or fettuccine)
  • grated pecorino cheese (parmigiano is an acceptable substitute, but pecorino, being sheep cheese, complements game)

Preparation 1. In a large cast-iron pot, sauté the onion in olive oil until translucent. 2. Add the boar meat and brown. (That is, cook the meat over high heat, turning frequently, just until it's cooked on the outside.) 3. Add the canned tomatoes and the bay leaves. 4. Add the wine. 5. Gradually add the garlic, dried chili, cinnamon stick, cloves, sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies (or anchovy paste), oregano, basil, sage, red wine vinegar, and salt and black pepper to taste. 6. Simmer on low on the stovetop with the lid of the pot slightly ajar, and stir occasionally for at least two hours — or longer if possible. The longer you simmer this, the more tender the meat will become. The ragù is ready to eat when the meat has totally fallen apart and most of the liquid has been absorbed by the meat. Take out the cinnamon stick and bay leaves before serving. 7. Serve over the pasta and top with grated cheese. Accompany with some crusty peasant bread and a good red wine, preferably a strong Italian, like Amarone or Barolo. Mangia! Reprinted with permission from I Like Food, Food Tastes Good: In the Kitchen with Your Favorite Bands by Kara Zuaro, (C) 2007 Hyperion

Preparation 1. In a large cast-iron pot, sauté the onion in olive oil until translucent. 2. Add the boar meat and brown. (That is, cook the meat over high heat, turning frequently, just until it's cooked on the outside.) 3. Add the canned tomatoes and the bay leaves. 4. Add the wine. 5. Gradually add the garlic, dried chili, cinnamon stick, cloves, sun-dried tomatoes, anchovies (or anchovy paste), oregano, basil, sage, red wine vinegar, and salt and black pepper to taste. 6. Simmer on low on the stovetop with the lid of the pot slightly ajar, and stir occasionally for at least two hours — or longer if possible. The longer you simmer this, the more tender the meat will become. The ragù is ready to eat when the meat has totally fallen apart and most of the liquid has been absorbed by the meat. Take out the cinnamon stick and bay leaves before serving. 7. Serve over the pasta and top with grated cheese. Accompany with some crusty peasant bread and a good red wine, preferably a strong Italian, like Amarone or Barolo. Mangia! Reprinted with permission from I Like Food, Food Tastes Good: In the Kitchen with Your Favorite Bands by Kara Zuaro, (C) 2007 Hyperion

Greek Cucumber Salad?
Stuffed Blueberry French Toast?
Foodie Friday: Pasta Bolognese {Gluten-Free}?
Chickpea Tacos?
Privacy policy