Leg of WILD BOAR, Portuguese Fashion
Serves 8-10

1 leg of wild boar (about 5lbs / 2.5kg)

Marinade
3 pints (1.75 litres) dry white wine           
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ pint (300ml) vinegar           
Small bunch parsley
7 fl. oz (200ml) olive oil           
6 bay leaves
3 carrots, finely chopped           
Generous pinch fresh or dried thyme
1 onion, finely chopped           
10 peppercorns
3 shallots, finely chopped           
3 whole cloves

Sauce
4 fl. oz (120ml) Madeira           
1 tablespoon flour
2 oz (50g) toasted pine nuts           
1 oz (25g) diced butter
2 oz (50g) raisins or sultanas

1. Lightly sauté the vegetables, herbs and spices in three tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the wine and vinegar and simmer slowly for 30 minutes. Cool, then add the remaining olive oil and mix well together. Rub salt all over the leg of wild boar and place in a bowl (not metal) large enough so that it can be completely covered by the marinade. Cover with the marinade and leave to steep for 4 or 5 days, turning frequently.

2. Remove the leg from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Melt the bacon in a very large frying pan and fry the leg lightly all over in the fat. Move into a large roasting pan practically filled with the strained marinade, reserving the remainder, and roast for 1 hour 40 minutes (20 minutes per lb / ½ kg) in a medium oven (1800C/3500F/gas 4). Turn several times during the roasting, basting each time. Halfway through the cooking, cover the pan with a large sheet of foil.

3. Meanwhile soak the toasted pine nuts and raisins or sultanas in the warmed Madeira. When the leg is done, baste the one more time and set aside to a cooler oven to keep warm (but not to cook) whilst you make the gravy. For this, pour the juices from the roasting pan into a large saucepan. Add the remainder of the marinade and boil over a high heat until reduced to half. Strain again and add a little freshly ground pepper if necessary.

4. To make the sauce, remove the reduced marinade from the heat and add the lukewarm Madeira wine, toasted pine nuts and raisins or sultanas. In Portugal the sauce then gets thickened with a little ‘fecula’ or potato flour dissolved in water - 1 tablespoon flour, to 2 tablespoons water - but here you could just use ordinary flour. Add to the mixture and bring to the boil, stirring all the time to ensure there are no lumps. Just before serving take off the heat and beat in the diced butter to make a smooth velvety sauce. Serve the leg accompanied by a purée made of one third celery, one third potato and one third apples cooked in butter.