This month I have been experimenting with cooking various kind of game with extra virgin olive oil and I have been very pleased with the results. The olive oil helps to lubricate what can often be quite dry meat and gives an excellent flavour to the dish. Using olive oil in this way also contributes to the two to three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil a day which many experts believe can reduce the risk of chronic disease and lead to a healthier future.
The venison, mallard and wild boar used in these recipes came from Wild and Game a relatively new website dedicated to promoting healthy game products at reasonable prices. As well as raw meat the site also features ready-made dishes which are great if you do not have much time to prepare food from scratch. I can really recommend the new pork, pheasant and caramelised onion pies which are delicious.
VENISON STUFFED GREEN LEAVES
Venison makes a great stuffing for all kinds of vegetables. Here I have used the leaves from spring greens but you could use any kind of cabbage or even Swiss chard of spinach, though you may need to use a double thickness of leaves with these. Serve from the pan with creamy mashed potatoes.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 12 green leaves
- 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- 600g venison steaks, minced
- 1 level tablespoon white four
- 2 tablespoons red wine
- 1-2 tablespoons water or beef stock
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and pepper
- 100ml tomato juice
Method:
Soak the green leaves in boiling water until required.
Fry the onions and celery in 4 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil until just softened. Add the minced venison and fry gently, stirring all the time to break up any clumps of meat. Cook for three to four minutes.
Add the flour, wine and water or stock and stir until the mixture thickens, adding more wine or stock if the mixtures gets too stiff. Add all the remaining ingredients except the leaves and tomato juice and simmer gently for about 20 minutes. Leave to cool.
Drain the leaves and dry on kitchen paper. Place spoonfuls of the stuffing on each leaf and roll up into a parcel. Place carefully in a large saucepan so that the base is fully covered. Pour on the tomato juice and the rest of the olive oil.
Cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes, pushing the parcels down into the liquid as it reduces to ensure that the leaves are cooked through all over.
Whole mallard
POT ROASTED MALLARD WITH SPICED ORANGE SAUCE
This way of cooking mallard or wild duck results in tender meat and a ready made sauce.
I used a Spanish oil from Andalucia when I was testing and felt that the strong fruitiness of the oil complemented the orange very well, but you could use what good extra virgin olive oil you have to hand.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2 mallard
- 2 large oranges
- Splash water or wine
- 2 teaspoon five spice powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Method:
Set the oven to 170C.
Place the birds in an ovenproof container with a lid.
Grate the orange rind from the oranges and add to the pan with the squeezed juices. Add a little water or white wine to the squeezer to clear all the juices and pour over the birds.
Sprinkle with five spice powder and salt and pepper and pour on the olive oil
Cover with a lid and place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour until the birds are cooked through and no pink juices run.
Leave to stand for five minutes. Carve the breasts and leg joints from the birds and place on warmed serving plates. Drain the pan juices into a jug and serve on the side with baby green beans and new potatoes.
WILD BOAR KEBABS WITH PRUNES AND SHALLOTS
The extra virgin olive oil in the marinade helps to tenderise the meat which can be a little tough if it is cooked too fast. The oil also helps to reduce the production of harmful compounds which can be produced when cooking on a barbecue. Serve with Labneh or thick Greek yogurt and a mixed green salad. I used a Greek extra virgin olive oil for this recipe but any good extra virgin olive oil will do.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 500g wild boar steaks cut into cubes
- 16 shallots, peeled
- 16 ready to eat dried prunes
- Sprigs of fresh thyme
Marinade:
- 150ml extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon thyme honey
Method:
Start by mixing all the marinade ingredients together in a jug. Place the wild boar cubes in a bowl and pour on the marinade. Cover and leave to stand in the fridge until required. The longer you can leave the meat to marinate (up to 24 or 36 hours) the more tender the meat will be.
Place the shallots in a steamer and steam over boing water for about 5-8 minutes to stop them from being too under cooked.
Drain the marinade off the meat into a small sauce pan and bring to the boil. Simmer to reduce.
Thread the cubes of wild boar onto skewers with the shallots and prunes, adding a ssprig of thyme from time to time. Brush with the reduced marinade and cook under a hot grill or on the barbecue for about 8-10 minutes, turning regularly.
WILD BOAR CASSEROLE WITH CHESTNUTS AND WILD MUSHROOMS
This is a classic casserole dish with a wonderfully aromatic aroma. The extra virgin olive oil here is used as a cooking medium but it also forms the basis of the Italian Gremolata which is served as an accompaniment with the apples. Marinate the wild boar in the marinade in the morning to cook in the evening. Or you can leave it overnight in the fridge.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 25g dried wild mushrooms
- Boiling water
- 500g wild boar steak
- 100ml red wine
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 250-300ml beef stock
- 2 tablespoons white flour
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 12 cooked chestnuts cut in half
Gremolata with apples
- 2 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 4 tablepoons finely chopped parsley
- 1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed
- Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Set the oven to 170C.
Place the dried mushrooms in a cup and barely cover with boiling water. Leave to stand until required.
Cut the wild boar steaks into chunks and place in a shallow bowl. Mix the red wine with 3 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil and season well. Pour over the meat and leave to stand. Just before cooking drain off the marinade into a measuring jug and add the juices from the mushrooms and the rest of the beef stock.
Dry the meat on kitchen paper. Mix the flour with salt and pepper and toss the meat until it is well coated.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan and saute the meat until lightly browned all over. Remove the meat to an ovenproof casserole dish. Add the onions to the pan and fry until golden. Add to the casserole with the chestnuts and mushrooms. Deglaze the frying pan with the stock and marinade mix. Bring to the boil and add to the casserole.
Stir well and cover with a lid. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the casserole starts to show small bubbles. Reduce the heat to 150C and cook for a further 2 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce start to boil too much, reduce the heat again.
To make the apples with Gramolata, place 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small frying pan and fry the apples all over. Mix all the remaining ingredients in a bowl and serve on the side with the apples.