Braised Wild Boar

_ (Wildschweinkeule)_

**

SERVES 6-8

This dish is great served with sauteed cabbage.

** **4 tbsp. olive oil
1 4-lb. leg of wild boar, boned, trimmed, and tied up into a roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium yellow onions, peeled and sliced
3 carrots, peeled, trimmed, and grated on the large holes of a box grater
4 ribs celery, sliced crosswise into 1/2" pieces
6 cloves4 bay leaves
1 bottle Johann Josef Prum Wehlener Kabinett or other Mosel Riesling
1/3 cup heavy cream

1. Heat oil in a medium enameled cast-iron pot or other wide heavy pot with a tight-fi tting lid over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add boar and brown well all over, 10-12 minutes. Transfer boar to a dish, season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside. Add onions to pot and cook over medium-high heat, scraping browned bits stuck to bottom of pot, until they are lightly browned, 6-8 minutes. Stir in carrots and celery and cook until lightly browned, 4-6 minutes. Return boar and any accumulated juices to pot, then add cloves, bay leaves, and wine.

2. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and braise meat, turning it in pot every half hour, until tender, 2-2 1/2 hours. Transfer boar to a large sheet of aluminum foil and wrap completely, then wrap foil pack in a clean dish towel and set it aside to let meat rest for 20-30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, strain broth from pot through a sieve set over a medium saucepan, fi rmly pressing on solids with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much fl avor as possible, then discard solids. Skim off and discard fat. Boil broth over medium-high heat until reduced to 1 cup, 20-30 minutes. Whisk in cream, season sauce to taste with salt and pepper, and turn off heat.

4. Unwrap boar and transfer to a cutting board. Discard twine and thinly slice meat. Arrange meat on a warm platter and garnish with a sprig of parsley, if you like. Pour sauce into a gravy boat and serve with the boar.