The Aspromonte is Calabria's central mountainous massif, and the name -- literally, "The Bitter Mountain" gives an idea of how rugged the topography is and how harsh the conditions are. One of the creatures that roams the mountains is the wild boar, and this is a simple recipe for roast sella di cinghiale, or rack of wild boar. The recipe will serve 4.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 4/5 pounds (800 g) rack of wild boar
- 2-3 bay leaves
- A small bunch of parsley
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Several bell peppers
- A rotisserie, either oven or over the coals
Preparation:
Season the meat well with salt and pepper to taste.
Rinse and shake dry the parsley. Peel the garlic and mince it with the parsley. And the bay leaves. Rub the chopped herbs evenly into the meat and sprinkle the meat with the olive oil.
Spit the meat and roast it for 2 hours, either in front of (not directly over; see instructions if need be) the coals of a hardwood fire, or in an oven you have preheated to 420 F, turning the heat down to 360 F when you put the meat in.
If you are using a fire, set a drippings pan under the roast to catch the drippings, and in any case baste the meat frequently as it cooks.
While the meat is cooking, stem, seed and rib the bell peppers, grill them skin-side down, and remove the skins when they have blistered. Put them on a platter and season them with salt, pepper and olive oil.
When the rack is cooked, remove it to the platter, let it rest for a few minutes, and serve. Calabrians traditionally accompany this roast with a zesty tomato sauce liberally spiked with hot pepper. You could also use (I think) a Mexican-style salsa.
Rinse and shake dry the parsley. Peel the garlic and mince it with the parsley. And the bay leaves. Rub the chopped herbs evenly into the meat and sprinkle the meat with the olive oil.
Spit the meat and roast it for 2 hours, either in front of (not directly over; see instructions if need be) the coals of a hardwood fire, or in an oven you have preheated to 420 F, turning the heat down to 360 F when you put the meat in.
If you are using a fire, set a drippings pan under the roast to catch the drippings, and in any case baste the meat frequently as it cooks.
While the meat is cooking, stem, seed and rib the bell peppers, grill them skin-side down, and remove the skins when they have blistered. Put them on a platter and season them with salt, pepper and olive oil.
When the rack is cooked, remove it to the platter, let it rest for a few minutes, and serve. Calabrians traditionally accompany this roast with a zesty tomato sauce liberally spiked with hot pepper. You could also use (I think) a Mexican-style salsa.
