Celtic Boar and Hazelnut Stew

A hearty, complex stew reconstructed from the ingredients and methods that were available to the ancient Celts in Gaul (modern day France).

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City/Region: Gaul

Time Period: Pre-58 B.C.E.

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There is no historical recipe for this dish, but I recreated it using evidence from the Greeks and Romans as well as the archaeological record. This is something that the ancient Celts of Gaul (modern day France) before the Roman conquest might have eaten. The stew is hearty and filling, but the herbs give it a nice light, herbaceous flavor and the hazelnuts add wonderful texture. Try it out as it’s written here, then change up the amounts to suit your liking.

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound (225 g) hazelnuts, skins removed
• 1/2 cup (115 g) salted butter
• 1 pound (450 g) boar, a nice whole piece of boar is best, but all I could get was ground
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds, lightly ground
• 1 to 2 cups chopped leeks
• 1/2 cup chopped chives
• 3 cups fresh greens, chopped small, kale and collard greens work well
• 6 cups (1 1/2 L) water
• 3 cups (480 g) wheat berries
• A small bunch of sorrel
• A small bunch of marjoram
• 1 tablespoon salt, more or less to taste

Instructions:

1. Lightly crush the hazelnuts. You don’t want them ground fine because you’ll lose the texture.
2. Melt half of the butter in a large magical cauldron (if you don’t have one, an ordinary pot will do) over medium heat, then add the hazelnuts. Stir to coat them all in the butter, and cook until you can smell the nuttiness, stirring frequently.
3. Add in the leeks, chives, and the rest of the butter. Stir to make sure everything is well mixed. Cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the boar and the mustard seed. If you’re using a whole piece of boar, chop it up fine before adding it. Cook for 5 minutes if using ground boar, up to 10 minutes if it’s chopped.
5. Add the greens, stir, and cook for a couple of minutes until the greens wilt.
6. Add the water, then bring it to a gentle simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until everything is soft.
7. Taste the stew and add salt. I used about 1 tablespoon, but adjust to your taste.
8. Stir in the wheat berries. Depending on the type of wheat berries you’re using, the cook time and the amount of water may vary. What you want is for the wheat berries to get plump and to soak up pretty much all of the liquid in the pot. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, making sure the pot doesn’t simmer dry (you may need to add more water).
9. Serve it forth with your favorite beer, being sure to take small, frequent draughts to boost authenticity.

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