Ragout of Beaver

Italian peasant cuisine meets a Canadian icon as small pieces of beaver meat are slow-cooked in olive oil (don’t tell Art!), a good red wine, veg and chicken stock. This soft, yet rich sauce fits perfectly with wide pappardelle noodles to create rustic Italian food with a Canadian twist.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2.

Ragout ingredients:

• ½ lb. (230 g.) of lean beaver meat

• ⅓ cup (80 ml.) of olive oil

• ½ medium onion – finely diced

• ½ large carrot –finely diced

• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 cup (226 g.) of crushed tomato

• 1 ½ cups (375 ml.) of a bottle of red wine

• 1 cup (250 ml.) chicken stock

Pasta Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried pappardelle noodles

• 8 cups (2 L.) of water

• 2 T. (30 g.) of salt

Gremolata Ingredients:

• ½ oz. (10 g.) of lemon zest

• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

• 1 oz. (3 g.) of fresh parsley, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

Cooking Instructions:

• Cut the beaver into small chunks.  Heat a large pan and add olive oil.  When the oil is hot, add the beaver meat and brown on all sides.

• Dice the onion and carrot and add once the meat is a good colour.  Chop garlic and add, with the sprig of rosemary, to the meat.

• When the vegetables have cooked down a little add the wine, stock and tomatoes and leave to cook slowly for 2 hours.

Gremolata Instructions:

• Take some lemon peel and remove the pith. Slice the zest into a nice chiffonade. Take your clove and slice it into thin pieces. Chop your parsley and combine it with the lemon zest and garlic. Run your knife through the mixer a couple more times.

Papardelle Noodle Instructions:

• Bring a large pan of well salted water (If it doesn’t taste like the Mediterranean Sea, it needs more salt!) to the boil and add papardelle noodles. Stir gently to separate noodles then boil for 8-10 mins – or until cooked.  Drain and add the noodles to the sauce and mix, coating the noodles with the sauce.

Assembly:

• Serve in individual bowls and sprinkle with the gremolata.

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