Classic mountain cooking from Friuli Venezia Giulia. To serve 6:
Prep Time: 24 hours
Cook Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- 3 1/3 pounds (1.5 k) venison, cubed
- 1 bottle Cabernet or similar well aged wine
- 1 glass strong vinegar
- An onion, sliced
- A carrot, sliced
- A rib of celery, sliced
- 3 peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 4-5 leaves fresh sage
- An 8-inch (20 cm) sprig of rosemary
- A sprig of fresh thyme
- A medium-sized bunch of parsley
- 3 juniper berries
- A pinch of salt
- 1/4 pound (100 g) pancetta, coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup dry red wine
- Salt and pepper
Preparation:
Put the meat in a bowl with the wine, vinegar, carrot, onion, celery, peppercorns, bay leaves, sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, juniper berries, and salt, cover it, put it in a cool place, and marinate it for at least 24 hours, turning the pieces occasionally -- this if the animal was wild. Otherwise, marinate it for about 4 hours, turning it once or twice.
Come time to cook the meat, preheat your oven to 360 F (180 C). Remove the meat from the marinade and drain it well. Heat the olive oil and simmer the pancetta until the pieces are nicely browned. Add the meat and cook, turning the pieces, until they are browned on all sides. Sprinkle the cup of wine over the meat and transfer everything to the oven; roast gently for about 1 1/2 hours, adding a little strained marinade as necessary to keep the meat from drying out. Serve hot with polenta.
Come time to cook the meat, preheat your oven to 360 F (180 C). Remove the meat from the marinade and drain it well. Heat the olive oil and simmer the pancetta until the pieces are nicely browned. Add the meat and cook, turning the pieces, until they are browned on all sides. Sprinkle the cup of wine over the meat and transfer everything to the oven; roast gently for about 1 1/2 hours, adding a little strained marinade as necessary to keep the meat from drying out. Serve hot with polenta.
