Spiced wild boar tagine with cherries and pistachios
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 2hrs.30 mins
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 500 grams wild boar shoulder- trimmed and cut into 2cm pieces
- 1 chopped onion
- 3 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 2 cm finely grated peeled ginger
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 3 tbsp harissa paste
- 2 tbsp honey
- 0.5 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 good pinch saffron strands
- 3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 handfuls chopped coriander leaves
- 100 grams dates, stoned and chopped
- 400 grams tinned chopped tomatoes
- 2 preserved lemons, skin only, chopped
- 750 ml chicken stock
- 150 grams cherries, pitted and halved
- 1 small handful chopped mint leaves
- salt and pepper
- 30 grams shelled pistachios, roughly chopped, to serve
- pomegranate seeds, to decorate
- Greek yoghurt, to serve
Method
1. Heat half the oil in a large, ovenproof casserole. Cook the meat in batches, season with salt and pepper and fry for a few minutes either side until browned then remove from the pan and keep warm.
2. Add the remaining oil to the pan along with the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, ground cumin, ground coriander and smoked paprika, season with a little salt and pepper and cook the spices for a further 3 minutes.
3. Then add the tomato purée, harissa paste, honey, thyme, bay leaf, sumac, saffron, star anise, cinnamon stick and one handful coriander leaves and continue cooking on a low heat for a further minute.
4. Add the dates, tomatoes, preserved lemons and stock and bring to the boil. Put a lid on the casserole, put it in the preheated oven and cook for 2-2 ½ hours or until the boar is tender.
5. Then stir in the cherries, the remaining coriander and mint. Season to taste and thicken the sauce with a little cornflour if desired.
6. Serve with the pistachios and pomegranate seeds sprinkled over and drizzle with a little Greek yogurt if desired.
