(marcassin is wild boar under 1 year in age)

INGREDIENTS:

1 boneless piece of young wild boar for roasting (2 to 3 pounds)

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 rib celery, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed with the flat of a knife

bouquet garni:
3 springs parsley,
1 sprig thyme,
1 large bay leaf tied together with kitchen string
6 juniper berries

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 to 3 cups full-bodied red wine, such as Burgundy, Spanish Rioja, or Merlot

1 tablespoon raspberry or other fruity red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

2 tablesponns vegetable oil

1/2 cup Cognac

1 to 2 tablespoons red currant jelly


1 One to two days before you plan to serve the roast, place the meat, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bouquet garni, juniper berries, and salt and pepper in a large glass or earthenware bowl. Pour in enough red wine to just cover the meat and add the vinegar. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, the longer the better.

2 Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until hot but not smoking. Reduce the heat to medium, add the meat, and brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Off the heat, carefully flambe the roast with the Cognac. Add the marinade and all the ingredints in it. Simmer, partially covered, over low heat until the meat is tender, about 1 hour. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

3 Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve, reserving the vegetables. Discard the bouquet garni. Return the cooking liquid to the Dutch oven and boil it, uncovered, over high heat to reduce by one third, 5 to 7 minutes.

4 Finish the sauce: Puree the vegetables and cooking liquid in a blender to a smooth consistency. You should have a thick, full-flavored sauce. Return it to the pan and reheat it. Add the red currant jelly and whisk until well blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the sauce seems thin to you, add a little bit of potato starch dissolved in 1 tablepsoon water or wine. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Do not boil the sauce beyond this point.

5 Slice the meat and arrange on a platter. Spoon some of the sauce over the sliced meat and pass the rest in a sauceboat

This really got my mouthwatering could just imagine tucking into this on a cold, wet & windy day