Horse Stew

Here is the recipe for preparing horse stew, a typical dish from some areas of Italy, such as Veneto and Sicily, where horse meat is appreciated for its unique flavor and nutritional qualities.

Ingredients

• 800g of horse stew meat
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk of celery
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 400g of peeled tomatoes or tomato purée
• 1 glass of red wine, preferably robust
• Meat broth as needed
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• Optional rosemary or bay leaves for flavoring

Preparazione

1. Start by cleaning and finely chopping the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.
2. In a large saucepan, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the chopped mixture until it is golden brown.
3. Add the horse stew meat and brown it on all sides until it develops a dark, even color.
4. Deglaze with the red wine and let the alcohol evaporate over high heat.
5. Add the crushed peeled tomatoes or tomato purée and mix well.
6. Cover with the meat broth until the meat is completely submerged, then season with salt and pepper.
7. Add the bay leaves or rosemary to taste.
8. Cover the saucepan with a lid and cook on low heat for at least 2 hours, checking occasionally and adding broth if necessary.
9. The stew will be ready when the meat is tender and the sauce is thick and flavorful.

Serve the hot stew accompanied by polenta, another classic of Italian culinary tradition, or with homemade bread for dipping.

Curiosity

Horse stew can be enriched with black olives or capers to add flavor and complexity. Moreover, horse meat is known to be lean and rich in iron, which is why it is considered a good alternative to beef meat.