SKOGENs ledare

Den italienska rödvinsgrytan som kommer att stoppa vildsvinsexplosionen.

Serves 2 people, maybe 3 if the third person is a child.

Ingredients: 

Compulsory:

500 g wild boar meat cut into not too big, but not too small pieces
2 medium-size carrots
1 red onion
3-4 bay leaves (lagerblad)
250 g of mushrooms. Agaricus bisporus (trädgårdschampinjon) but if you have chanterelle or boletus (stensopp/Karljohan) is even better.
Slightly less than a bottle of good red wine
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil (or butter)

Optional:

200 g of blueberries (in Italy we do not have lingonberries, but I have they would also be suitable)
Berries jams
A bit of celery

Execution:

1. Remove the wild boar from the fridge (kylskåpet) 10-15 minutes before starting to cook it to make sure it is not too cold.
2. Season it with salt and pepper and put it aside.
3. Cut into small pieces the carrots and the onion (and, if you want, celery; but I prefer without it).
4. Warm up the olive oil (or butter) in a deep, big pot and put on it the carrots and onion (and celery if you want) and the bay leaves.
5. Stir to make sure they do not burn and after 1 minute add the seasoned meat. The fire has to be quite lively, but not too much.
6. After 5-8 minutes, when the meat starts to cook, add the wine: I think around 50 cl, possibly a little more.
7. Cook now very very slowly on a very small fire around 2 hours I would say.
8. 30 minutes before the end add the mushrooms. From time to time check if the salt and pepper quantity is good enough.
9. Right before the end you can add the berries, but I prefer not too add them and rather to taste the meat with a berry jam.
10. You have to make sure that the wine is almost evaporated, but not completely in order to have a nice, smooth, hearty sauce.

How to serve it:

• The best is with potato croquettes but also simple boiled potatoes or roasted potatoes is fine. I do not recommend French fries or rice, but that is up to you
• Place the meat on the dish, some potatoes next to it and a generous spoon of berries jam (but that is optional)

Diego Benedetti