many game recipes have their roots in medieval period. Preparing one of these dips, therefore, is like taking a dip in the past and identifying with our ancestors, trying to understand how they fed. An interesting example is that of the so-called hare bread, a simple preparation but of great impact, both visually and from the point of view of taste. The recipe is also known as "hare owl“: The term civero was used many years ago to indicate a stew of cooked meat with the addition of wine and onions. It is a dish in which the sauce, typically spicy and pungent, manages to conquer every palate. An in-depth study on the ingredients of the recipe should be done for the melegueta pepper, a spice that is talked about too little.
Origin of Malaguetta pepper and uses in Italian cuisine
La spice also known as Grains of Paradise, belongs to the ginger family (Zingiberacee) which has its natural habitat on the coasts and islands ofWest tropical Africa.
The spice widely used in recipes of African origin, manages to integrate perfectly into Italian dishes and recipes.
Its feature? A warm flavor that fits perfectly a aromatic notes twigs fruity taste, with a pleasant aftertaste that reminds us of the cardamom. Furthermore, pepper manages to be the protagonist of the dishes without covering the other aromas, thanks to the characteristic of having a smell just hinted.
Precisely for these organoleptic characteristics it can be used in dishes belonging to the Italian tradition. The spice in fact manages to perfume i braised, to give an edge to risotto pumpkin based on fish or meat dishes such as lamb. The pepper can also become the protagonist of dishes based on aubergines or potatoes.
Characteristics of the plant
As previously mentioned Malaguetta pepper is one tropical plant perennial that belongs to the ginger family. There cane-shaped structure manages to reach up to i 2 meters, while the leaves are very narrow, only 2,5 cm wide, similar to those of bamboo. The plant is enriched with flowers at the base of which there are capsules containing reddish seeds.
Malaguetta Pepper has a spicy and pungent flavor which leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste reminiscent of cardamom, which is why its flavor means that the spice must be well dosed within the recipes.
Despite these very strong characteristics, pepper does not retain its fragrance for long, for this reason it is better to buy them a little at a time. The best way to store it is to keep it in a cool, moisture-free environment and dimly lit.
You use pepper in cooking
Thanks to his African origins, pepper has been used extensively in the traditional recipes of the place, but with the European influence in a short time it spread also on the continent.
It was originally used for flavoring the beer and the wine but most of the time it was used instead of black pepper. By far the most popular spice could come at exorbitant prices and therefore was prohibitively expensive to purchase.
Even today i Grains of Paradise they are widely used in African dishes. Mixed with other spices such as black pepper, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg in tunisia is used for season meat and vegetables.
In Western world still today it is used to flavor beers, gin or brandy, while it is less present inside the dishes. Despite this, in addition to vegetables and meats it can be used to make the flavor of sauces like mayonnaise or vinagrette. Mixed with other qualities of pepper it manages to give an unexpected touch to any dish.
Beneficial properties
Like most spices, i Grains of Paradise have beneficial properties. Already used at the end of the 500th century, still today according to the African tradition, when a guest arrives they offer the chewing grains to stay healthy. His is currently being studied anti-inflammatory qualities and as an activator of metabolism.
Once you have explored all the characteristics of Pepe di Malaguetta, the time has come to discover the ingredients and process to make the recipe.
Ingredients
hare of 1,5 - 2 kg of weight
1 large knob of lard
3 onions
2 slices of toasted homemade bread
½ liter of meat broth
15 cl of good quality red wine vinegar
10 cl of red wine
5 cl of agresto
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon of melegueta
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
1 pinch of cloves
1 pinch of nutmeg powder
1 pinch of freshly ground pepper
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Method
The first thing is to devote yourself to bread this will be there basis of the recipe and then you have to give it the right attention. There are many types, there is the wholemeal one, naturally leavened, with cereals, the important thing is to choose the quality you prefer to further enrich the recipe according to your tastes.
Once chosen let's roast it and subsequently let's soak it in lemon juice diluted with water, the Red wine and a part of broth.
Now let's take the hare, if we are experts we can cut it into pieces, otherwise we can decide to have it prepared by the butcher.
Let's take one casserole and we do brown the hare on all sides in high heat. Meanwhile in a pan we do fry the chopped onion finely with it lard. If you want to make the plate lighter you can replace it with theextra virgin olive oil. Add the pieces of hare and brown everything well for a few minutes.
In a bowl we mix all the spices making them dilute them in water e Lemon; and we add 5 cl of vinegar.
Once the bread is softened, let's mash it with a fork, add the rest of the broth to form one compact and homogeneous food.
Let's add the composed to the hare, salt, cover and simmer for an hour and a half or two depending on the size of the game.
If during cooking the sauce thickens add some broth. Once cooked and with the meat that has preserved its softness, the second course is ready to be served.