WILD MEAT 61 SLOW-ROASTED POSSUM LEG WITH GARLIC & ROSEMARY I used to cook this at Zoe in London in the early 1990s, using chicken. It is based on a rustic Italian dish – one pan in the oven, then shared by the whole table. It’s great with a side of salad or vegetables. SERVES 2 4 possum legs 3 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking 3 medium-sized Dutch cream potatoes, washed, then sliced approximately 1 cm (½ in) thick 1–2 brown onions, sliced 3 garlic cloves, crushed 3 rosemary sprigs 250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) Game stock (page 210) or chicken stock Preheat the oven to 175°C (345°F). Heat a heavy-based ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole dish over a high heat. Place the possum legs in a bowl and season generously with salt and black pepper. Add a tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan, then sear the possum legs until golden brown all over. Remove and set aside. Add another tablespoon of the oil to the pan and fry the potato slices for about 5 minutes, or until golden, then set aside with the possum. Add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the onion for about 10 minutes, until it becomes slightly translucent. Add the garlic, rosemary and stock and bring to the boil. Layer the potatoes in the pan and place the possum legs on top. Place the whole pan or dish in the oven. Check after 25 minutes, adding a little more stock if the pan has gone dry. After another 15 minutes in the oven, check to see if the legs are cooked by pressing on the meat; it should break away from the bone. If not, roast it a little longer, but don’t overcook it or the meat will become dry. Rest the possum for 10 minutes before serving. 60 Wild Meat Text 22-08-08 TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt60 Wild Meat Text 22-08-08 TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt61 WILD MEAT 61 SLOW-ROASTED POSSUM LEG WITH GARLIC & ROSEMARY I used to cook this at Zoe in London in the early 1990s, using chicken. It is based on a rustic Italian dish – one pan in the oven, then shared by the whole table. It’s great with a side of salad or vegetables. SERVES 2 4 possum legs 3 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking 3 medium-sized Dutch cream potatoes, washed, then sliced approximately 1 cm (½ in) thick 1–2 brown onions, sliced 3 garlic cloves, crushed 3 rosemary sprigs 250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) Game stock (page 210) or chicken stock Preheat the oven to 175°C (345°F). Heat a heavy-based ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole dish over a high heat. Place the possum legs in a bowl and season generously with salt and black pepper. Add a tablespoon of the olive oil to the pan, then sear the possum legs until golden brown all over. Remove and set aside. Add another tablespoon of the oil to the pan and fry the potato slices for about 5 minutes, or until golden, then set aside with the possum. Add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the onion for about 10 minutes, until it becomes slightly translucent. Add the garlic, rosemary and stock and bring to the boil. Layer the potatoes in the pan and place the possum legs on top. Place the whole pan or dish in the oven. Check after 25 minutes, adding a little more stock if the pan has gone dry. After another 15 minutes in the oven, check to see if the legs are cooked by pressing on the meat; it should break away from the bone. If not, roast it a little longer, but don’t overcook it or the meat will become dry. Rest the possum for 10 minutes before serving. 60 Wild Meat Text 22-08-08 TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt60 Wild Meat Text 22-08-08 TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt61 WILD MEAT 101100 CORNED HINDQUARTER OF WALLABY WITH COLCANNON Corned meat and mash is a match made in heaven – and what’s even better than corned meat and mash is corned meat and colcannon! Wallaby is a sweet meat that lends itself to corning incredibly well, and any leftovers are also great in a potato hash. SERVES 6 1 wallaby haunch 1 brown onion, quartered 2 garlic cloves, crushed 5 juniper berries, crushed 2 bay leaves 100 ml (3½ fl oz) malt vinegar 2 tablespoons salt 3 tablespoons soft brown sugar CORNING BRINE 200 g (7 oz) cooking sea salt 150 g (5½ oz) soft brown sugar 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds 1 tablespoon ground allspice 1 tablespoon ground mace COLCANNON 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) king edward potatoes, or other mashing potatoes, peeled and quartered 100 g (3½ oz) cultured butter 1 leek, white part only, chopped 2 kale leaves, chopped (or ¼ savoy cabbage) 2 tablespoons chopped chives 150 ml (5 fl oz) thickened (whipping) cream Combine all the brine ingredients in a large pot. Add 2 litres (68 fl oz/8 cups) water and bring up to the boil. Once the salt and sugar have dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool down. Place the wallaby in a clean bucket and cover with the cold brine. Place a plate or weight of some kind on top, to keep the wallaby fully submerged. Refrigerate for 3 days. To cook the wallaby, place the haunch in a pot big enough to keep the whole haunch submerged. Add the onion, garlic, juniper berries, bay leaves, vinegar salt and sugar, and enough water to cover the haunch. Bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce to a slow simmer and cook for 2 hours, or until the meat comes away from the bone. Remove from the heat and let the meat rest in the cooking liquor while you’re preparing the colcannon. To make the colcannon, add the potatoes to a pot of water with a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a rolling simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Check the potatoes by poking a small knife into a cube and lifting it out – if the potato slides off, it is cooked. Once cooked, drain into a colander and set aside. Add half the butter to the pot over a medium heat. Sweat down the leek and kale for 3–4 minutes, or until the leek is translucent. Now add the potatoes and beat them in using a wooden spoon. Add the chives, cream and remaining butter and continue to mix with your wooden spoon. Check the seasoning. To serve, place the colcannon on a large carving tray, then remove the wallaby from the liquor and place on top. Give a good grinding of fresh black pepper over the top, carve the meat and serve. Wild Meat Text 22-08-08TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt100Wild Meat Text 22-08-08TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt101 WILD MEAT 101100 CORNED HINDQUARTER OF WALLABY WITH COLCANNON Corned meat and mash is a match made in heaven – and what’s even better than corned meat and mash is corned meat and colcannon! Wallaby is a sweet meat that lends itself to corning incredibly well, and any leftovers are also great in a potato hash. SERVES 6 1 wallaby haunch 1 brown onion, quartered 2 garlic cloves, crushed 5 juniper berries, crushed 2 bay leaves 100 ml (3½ fl oz) malt vinegar 2 tablespoons salt 3 tablespoons soft brown sugar CORNING BRINE 200 g (7 oz) cooking sea salt 150 g (5½ oz) soft brown sugar 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds 1 tablespoon ground allspice 1 tablespoon ground mace COLCANNON 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) king edward potatoes, or other mashing potatoes, peeled and quartered 100 g (3½ oz) cultured butter 1 leek, white part only, chopped 2 kale leaves, chopped (or ¼ savoy cabbage) 2 tablespoons chopped chives 150 ml (5 fl oz) thickened (whipping) cream Combine all the brine ingredients in a large pot. Add 2 litres (68 fl oz/8 cups) water and bring up to the boil. Once the salt and sugar have dissolved, remove from the heat and allow to cool down. Place the wallaby in a clean bucket and cover with the cold brine. Place a plate or weight of some kind on top, to keep the wallaby fully submerged. Refrigerate for 3 days. To cook the wallaby, place the haunch in a pot big enough to keep the whole haunch submerged. Add the onion, garlic, juniper berries, bay leaves, vinegar salt and sugar, and enough water to cover the haunch. Bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce to a slow simmer and cook for 2 hours, or until the meat comes away from the bone. Remove from the heat and let the meat rest in the cooking liquor while you’re preparing the colcannon. To make the colcannon, add the potatoes to a pot of water with a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a rolling simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Check the potatoes by poking a small knife into a cube and lifting it out – if the potato slides off, it is cooked. Once cooked, drain into a colander and set aside. Add half the butter to the pot over a medium heat. Sweat down the leek and kale for 3–4 minutes, or until the leek is translucent. Now add the potatoes and beat them in using a wooden spoon. Add the chives, cream and remaining butter and continue to mix with your wooden spoon. Check the seasoning. To serve, place the colcannon on a large carving tray, then remove the wallaby from the liquor and place on top. Give a good grinding of fresh black pepper over the top, carve the meat and serve. Wild Meat Text 22-08-08TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt100Wild Meat Text 22-08-08TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt101 WILD MEAT 157 ROASTED SADDLE OF VENISON ON THE BONE, WITH BONE MARROW SAUCE This one came about from a hare dish I used to do in London. When you cook meat on the bone, as you do here, it’s a different beast. It takes a bit more skill – but the flavour is sweeter, and when rested right, the meat is so tender. When you cook this dish, bring it to the table and carve it in front of your friends. It’s quite the spectacle for a dinner party. SERVES 8 1 saddle of venison olive oil, for drizzling 5 French shallots, sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 thyme sprigs 3 juniper berries, cracked 100 ml (3½ fl oz) red wine 300 ml (10 fl oz) Game stock (page 210) or chicken stock 50 g (1¾ oz) bone marrow Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Grab a frying pan large enough to fit the venison saddle and place it over a high heat (see note). Give the venison a solid seasoning with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and rub with olive oil. Place it in the pan, presentation side down (bones facing up). Seal both sides of the saddle on the top to a golden brown, which should take about 3–4 minutes each side. Place the venison saddle in a roasting tin, with the bones facing down, presentation side up. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn it over and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Leaving it uncovered, let the venison rest in the tray, with the loins still facing down, for 10 minutes. Then put the saddle on your chopping board, ready to slice in another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place the roasting tin back over a high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, thyme and juniper berries and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and let it reduce for 1 minute. Stir in the stock and cook the sauce down for 5–10 minutes, or until it starts to thicken a little. Add the bone marrow and stir it in, to help thicken the sauce and also give a rich texture (this is called monter au beurre, which translates as ‘mounting with butter’). Once the bone marrow is emulsified, which should only take about 1 minute, set the sauce aside, but keep it warm. Slice the meat off the saddle and arrange it on a platter. Dress with the bone marrow sauce and serve with green beans and roast potatoes. ‡ NOTE If you don’t have a frying pan big enough to hold the venison saddle, just brown it on your barbecue plate. 156 Wild Meat Text 22-08-08TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt156Wild Meat Text 22-08-08TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt157 WILD MEAT 157 ROASTED SADDLE OF VENISON ON THE BONE, WITH BONE MARROW SAUCE This one came about from a hare dish I used to do in London. When you cook meat on the bone, as you do here, it’s a different beast. It takes a bit more skill – but the flavour is sweeter, and when rested right, the meat is so tender. When you cook this dish, bring it to the table and carve it in front of your friends. It’s quite the spectacle for a dinner party. SERVES 8 1 saddle of venison olive oil, for drizzling 5 French shallots, sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 thyme sprigs 3 juniper berries, cracked 100 ml (3½ fl oz) red wine 300 ml (10 fl oz) Game stock (page 210) or chicken stock 50 g (1¾ oz) bone marrow Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Grab a frying pan large enough to fit the venison saddle and place it over a high heat (see note). Give the venison a solid seasoning with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and rub with olive oil. Place it in the pan, presentation side down (bones facing up). Seal both sides of the saddle on the top to a golden brown, which should take about 3–4 minutes each side. Place the venison saddle in a roasting tin, with the bones facing down, presentation side up. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn it over and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Leaving it uncovered, let the venison rest in the tray, with the loins still facing down, for 10 minutes. Then put the saddle on your chopping board, ready to slice in another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place the roasting tin back over a high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, thyme and juniper berries and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and let it reduce for 1 minute. Stir in the stock and cook the sauce down for 5–10 minutes, or until it starts to thicken a little. Add the bone marrow and stir it in, to help thicken the sauce and also give a rich texture (this is called monter au beurre, which translates as ‘mounting with butter’). Once the bone marrow is emulsified, which should only take about 1 minute, set the sauce aside, but keep it warm. Slice the meat off the saddle and arrange it on a platter. Dress with the bone marrow sauce and serve with green beans and roast potatoes. ‡ NOTE If you don’t have a frying pan big enough to hold the venison saddle, just brown it on your barbecue plate. 156 Wild Meat Text 22-08-08TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt156Wild Meat Text 22-08-08TEXT BLACKBlackYellowMagentaCyan txt157Next >