Wild Boar Tagine
If you follow my other substack feed, you’ll know that a couple of months ago I came into the possession of a large slab of wild boar or ‘sanglier’ in French.
After watching a couple of YouTube videos (I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve never butchered anything, in its entirety) I attempted to portion up this chunk of meat. Using a vegetable pairing knife, a Santoku knife and an Opinel pocket knife (fairly new and therefore very sharp), I finally packaged up the different portions for the freezer. Note to self: buy an appropriate butchering knife.
My favourite tagine recipe includes lamb, which I only ever batch cook and freeze for myself as my other half isn’t a fan, but I do make this recipe with beef. Seeing as there was an abundance in the freezer, I thought I’d try a wild boar tagine. It’s much ‘gamier’ in taste than beef or lamb.
History of Tagine
The tagine has its roots in Morocco, although variations of the dish are found in other North African countries such as Tunisia and Algeria. The word ‘tagine’ is derived from the word ‘tajin’ which refers to the lidded earthenware pot traditionally used for slow cooking.
The tagine pot is designed to promote the condensation of steam, allowing the ingredients to stew and simmer in their own juices. This method of cooking helps tenderize tough cuts of meat and infuse the dish with a depth of flavours. The tagine has long been a staple in North African cuisine and remains a symbol of hospitality and communal dining, so it’s a great dish if you have guests over. It’s easily prepared ahead of time and, in my opinion, makes a nice centrepiece with some additional garnishes such as pomegranate.
While tagines can vary in terms of ingredients, they typically include a combination of meat (such as lamb, chicken, or beef), vegetables, dried fruits, and a blend of aromatic spices. Common spices used in tagine recipes include cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, and saffron. The addition of dried fruits, like apricots or dates, provides a sweet contrast to the savoury elements.
Considerations
You would typically serve tagine with couscous, rice or flatbread, but I add chickpeas into the tagine towards the end to create a sort of one-pot dish. The recipe below uses chickpeas but you could add a couple of small potatoes, cut into chunks, instead. Keep your carrots and potatoes fairly chunky so they keep their shape during the slow cook.
Traditional tagine recipes may also include a pinch of saffron threads and some blanched almonds, but they’re not included in this recipe.
I once used too much preserved lemon and the entire dish tasted like perfume. Better to start with a smaller amount and taste as you go along if you don’t use this ingredient often.
If you don’t have a traditional tagine pot, you can use a cast iron pan or something suitable for the oven, so long as it has a lid. You can cook this on the hob but I use the oven as my tagine isn’t compatible with an induction hob.
If you want a cheat’s paste, Belazu make a pretty tasty tagine paste with smoked paprika and preserved lemon.
Ingredients
1 kg wild boar (or beef, lamb, chicken) cut into pieces
2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, cut into large chunks
250ml chicken or beef stock
1 tin (400g) of chickpeas, drained
1 tsp, ground cumin
1 tsp, ground coriander
1 tsp, ground ginger
1 tsp, ground cinnamon
2 tbsp, olive oil
A handful of dried apricots, halved (optional)
1/2 preserved lemon, rinsed and finely chopped
Fresh coriander to garnish
Method
In a large bowl, mix the boar pieces with the chopped onions, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and pepper. Allow it to marinate for about an hour.
Heat the olive oil in the tagine pot over medium heat. Add the marinated boar and brown on all sides.
Pour in the broth, add the dried apricots, carrots (potatoes if you opted for them) and preserved lemon, and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Cover the tagine with the lid and reduce the heat to low. Allow the boar to cook slowly for about 2 - 2 1/2 hours or longer until it becomes tender.
In the last 15 minutes, I add my chickpeas to the pot and stir.
Garnish with fresh coriander before serving.
The slow-cooking process allows the boar to absorb the flavours of the spices and other ingredients, resulting in a tender and aromatic dish. Adjust the seasoning and spice levels according to your taste preferences. I also prefer a slightly thicker consistency which requires a longer cook, but this is your preference.
À bientôt!