Carbonnade à la Flamande
of Wild Boar
from "Wild Game Cuisine"
by George Politis
Carbonnade is a rich, thick beef stew in the style of Flanders, made with
onions, often bacon and strong Belgian beer. In this variation, wild
boar replaces both the beef and the bacon and produces a hugely flavorful
dish. Centuries ago, the original carbonnade may have even been made with
the European wild boar--a meat much more common and less valuable than the cow.
Do try to get a dark Belgian or German beer for this recipe; if that is
impossible, substitute another dark, rich Belgian-style ale. This recipe may
be halved.
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4 cups beef stock, preferably homemade, or canned low-salt broth
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3 large leeks (white & pale green part only)
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5 lbs. boneless wild boar meet (shoulder, loin, leg or any combination)
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Salt & freshly ground pepper
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2-3 cups flour
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¼ cup vegetable oil
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1½ cups finely chopped onions
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1 12-oz. bottles strong Belgian or German beer.
Place beef stock in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Boil until
reduced to ¾ cup. Reserve.
To clean leeks, slice them each lengthwise down the center, then slice each
half in thin semicircles. Place the slices in a large basin of cool
water, and swirl around with your hands. Carefully lift the leeks out of
the water; the dirt will have sunk to the bottom of the basin. Dry the
leeks with several layers of paper towel, and reserve.
Preheat over to 375°F. Cut the boar meat into 2" cubes, and season
with salt and pepper. Place flour in a strong plastic bag, add boar cubes, and
shake to coat thoroughly. Remove the meat, and shake off excess
flour,
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and sauté
the boar meat in batches until well browned. Remove from the skillet, and set
aside. Drain the excess fat from the skillet, and add leeks
and onion. Sauté over medium-low heat until softened and
beginning to brown. Arrange half of the leek-onion mixture
in the bottom of a deep casserole. Add half the wild boar
pieces, then another layer of leeks and onions. Top with the
rest of the meat. Pour 1 bottle of beer into the skillet,
and bring to to a boil, scraping up any brown bits from the
bottom. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the
casserole, and the other bottle of beer and the beef stock.
Cover the casserole, and bake for 2 hours, or until boar is
very tender and sauce is thickened. Taste and adjust
seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with mashed potatoes
or buttered egg noodles. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
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