Hunter Stew with Champagne and Morels

On New Scandinavian Cooking, we used beaver meat for this dish. You may equally well use venison or mutton. It is rather extravagant to use real champagne in cooking. The advantage is that one only uses a little for the pot, and the cook (and guests) get to drink the rest. You can also use a cheaper sparkling wine or just a dry white wine.

INGREDIENTS:

Number of servings

Serves 4

3 lbs. (about 1 ½ kilo) gelatinous game meat (shank, shoulder or the like), cut in 1 – inch cubes

2 tbs. finely chopped shallots

1 tbs. butter

1 bay leaf

2 cups (a little less than ½ liter) dry white wine

1 cup (a little more than 2 deciliters) heavy cream

1 tbs. Dijon mustard

12 dried morels, reconstituted in water for 1 hour

½ to 1 glass of champagne (or other dry, sparkling white wine)

Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

• Melt half of the butter and add the meat. Sear until golden brown on all sides.

• Remove the meat and deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine, scraping out the solidified stock in the bottom with a spatula.

• Pour the liquid over the meat and set aside. Return the clean pot to heat, add the remaining butter. Sauté the shallots for 2 minutes, until shiny.

• Add the meat, cooking liquid, white wine and bay leaf. Cover, bring to a gentle boil and let simmer for 2 ½ hours.

• Remove the lid and continue to simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, thus reducing the liquid by approximately one third.

• Stir in cream, add morels and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the champagne the very last minute before serving.