MARINATED LEG, CHOP AND LOIN OF WILD BOAR WITH PRUNES

Ingredients for 8 servings:

Boar meat:  1 leg; 1 rack of ribs,trimmed; 1 loin

Wine marinade for leg:

2 bottles red wine (beaujolais), divided

1 cup water

1/2 cup cognac

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup each sliced onion and carrots

bouquet garni: 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon juniper berries, crushed

1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, 2 sprigs fresh thyme,  3 sprigs fresh parsley

Dry marinade for ribs and loin:

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

fresh thyme, parsley, mint leaves minced

Sauce:

2 cups red wine

1/4 cup sugar

8 ounces pitted prunes

2 cups marinade, strained

2 cups game stock or beef broth

1/3 cup creme fraiche

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Marinate leg for 2 days: Place the leg in a glass or ceramic casserole just large and deep enough to hold it. Surround the meat with 1 bottle of wine, water, cognac, oil, vegetables and bouquet garni.  Add more wine from the second bottle as needed to bring the marinade 3/4's way up the side of the container.  Cover and refrigerate, turn 2-3 times for 2 days.

Dry marinate rib chops and loin 1-2 days: Lightly salt and pepper the meat.  Dust them with fresh herbs, wrap the meat tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Remove all meats from the refrigerator several hours in advance so they warm to room temperature.

Braise the Leg:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Remove the leg from the dish and strain the marinade.  Place the leg in a heavy pan with a tightly fitting lid.  Pour in 1" marinade liquid, cover and braise for 2 hours.  Remove and baste the leg every half hour or so.  Lift meat to a carving board and let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Roasting the rack and loin: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  Unwrap the meat, blot off moisture and loose herb pieces.  Lightly oil and lay the ribs and loin on racks in separate pans.  Roast at high heat 15 minutes.  Turn heat down to 425 and roast for another 20 minutes.  Internal temperature of about 160 degrees is desirable.  Allow the meat to sit at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Sauce:  Bring wine to a simmer with the sugar in a saucepan.  Add the pitted prune pieces and simmer slowly for 15 minutes or until the fruit is plump and tender.  Allow the prunes to cool in the wine.  Strain and quarter the prunes

Combine the strained marinade and stock or broth in a heavy nonreactive pan.  Bring to a simmer and reduce by half, to 2 cups, over medium heat.  Stir in the strained prune pieces, the cream and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Serving: Warm the dinner plates.  Overlap a thin slice of boar leg with a rib chop and a thick slice of loin meat.  Nape the meat with sauce.

Serve with Chestnut Puree and Celeryroot.