Daube de Sanglier à la Provençale

Ingrédients

• •2 kg wild boar meat (back strap, back leg, or shoulder), cubed into 3×3 cm pieces
• •2 litres red wine
• •3 carrots, roughly chopped
• •2 onions, roughly chopped
• •200g smoked or unsmoked bacon, cut into lardons
• •1 bouquet garni (thyme, rosemary, bay leaf)
• •5 cloves of garlic, or to taste
• •2 ripe tomatoes (or canned in a pinch)
• •200g black olives, preferably Greek style
• •Olive oil
• •Salt and pepper to taste
• •4 salted anchovy fillets
• •Cornstarch or flour, for coating
• •100ml crème fraîche (optional, to finish)
• •A knob of butter (to finish)

🐸 Marcel says:

The anchovy fillets are the secret. Do not skip them. They disappear entirely but leave behind a richness that makes people ask what your secret is. You don't have to tell them.

Instructions

1. 1

   Start 8 to 48 hours ahead. Chop the onions and carrots, add to a pan with a little olive oil and brown lightly. Allow to cool, then transfer to a non-reactive container — enamelware, clay, or plastic. Do not use stainless steel, as the acid in the wine will react with it.

2. 2

   Add the wine, boar meat, browned vegetables, bouquet garni, garlic, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. 24 hours gives a better result.

3. 3

   When ready to cook, drain the meat and reserve all of the marinade liquid. Pat the meat completely dry with kitchen paper, then toss in cornstarch or flour — this will thicken the daube as it cooks.

4. 4

   Heat olive oil in a cast iron pot over a high heat. Brown the meat in batches — do not crowd the pan or it will steam instead of sear. Set aside. Add the lardons and fry until almost crispy. Add the anchovy fillets and cook for 2 minutes, stirring — they will dissolve completely and add a deep richness you won't be able to identify but will absolutely taste.

5. 5

   Pour a cup of the reserved marinade into the pot and scrape the bottom well to lift all the caramelised bits. Add the vegetables from the marinade, the tomatoes, the olives, and return the browned meat to the pot.

6. 6

   Pour in enough of the remaining marinade to just cover everything. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook over the lowest possible heat for at least 2 hours. Check occasionally and add more liquid as needed. The meat should be completely fall-apart tender.

7. 7

   The daube is good eaten immediately, but do yourself a favour — remove it from the heat when done, let it cool completely, and reheat it slowly the next day. Ideally on a hearth, but the oven works too. Stir in 100ml of crème fraîche and a knob of butter just before serving.

8. 8

   Serve over pasta, mashed potatoes, lemon and rosemary rice, or baked potatoes. Always with a baguette and a good red wine.