Savor the wild: Moose meat magic with lingonberry glaze and golden potatoes.
Olga BrovkinaIn Soviet times, people tried to domesticate the wild moose of the taiga. One of the places where moose were studied by scientists and eventually successfully domesticated was the Pechoro-Ilych Nature Reserve, which is located in the Northern Urals in the Komi Republic (about 1300 km northeast of Moscow). The local moose farm is now more than 90 years old, but while today it mostly serves to acquaint the public with moose and other natural treasures of the region, the neighboring taiga forests are highly valued for moose hunting, which is permitted from October until January 10.
As the snow blankets the landscape, hunters seize the opportunity to track down this elusive prey. The moose, with its majestic antlers and hooves, is not merely a trophy but a source of many kilograms of meat. Once raised in abundance, this meat has an eventful history. In Soviet times, for example, moose meat was exported to Europe for the production of dietary baby food.
Yet, tracking down moose meat, whether in the taiga or in the food store, is only half the adventure. The real challenge takes place in the kitchen, where it demands a serious approach for transformation into a delectable dish. If not prepared with care, moose meat can end up tough and bland in taste. There are various ways of using moose — as filling for dumplings, bliny, peppers, and more, but we’ll try today to mix the meat with sour berries — lingonberries. If you don’t have these, then substitute with cranberries.
Marinated in berry juice, this moose meat creation ignites a symphony of flavors. Since the meat is lean, we will add lard. Moose meat requires an entire day to marinate and about four hours for cooking, but the final result is worth the effort.
1. The first part of the process is devoted to marinating the meat. Use a blender to puree the lingonberries until achieving a smooth consistency.
2. Rub the moose meat with some pepper (exclude salt at this stage).
3. Pour the lingonberry puree over the meat and refrigerate under pressure for a day.
4. On the following day, remove the meat from the marinade (but hold on to the marinade) and stuff it with lard.
5. Make incisions on the meat and insert small pieces of lard. Salt the meat generously.
6. Wrap the meat in foil and place it in a baking dish. Bake in the oven at 160-170℃ for three hours. Make sure that there's a small amount of water in the mold during cooking (add as needed).
7. While the meat is baking, prepare the potatoes.
8. Peel and slice the potatoes, then rinse thoroughly with cold water. Cook on the stove without adding salt.
9. Once the water boils, wait for two minutes and remove from heat. Drain the broth using a colander. Mix vegetable oil with dried herbs (dill and parsley).
10. Pour the mixture over the potatoes, and stir. Spread the slices on a platter, then salt and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes at 180-200℃. You’ll know that the potatoes are ready when they have a golden crust.
11. Grease the baked moose meat with the lingonberry puree from the marinade and bake for an additional half hour at 180-200℃. This will create a delightful lingonberry glaze.
12. Once done, cut the moose meat into thin slices and serve with the golden-crusted potatoes. Enjoy your meal!
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