Wild Boar Borscht

Ingredients
1 ½ lbs wild boar stew meat, 1” cubes
2 tblsp light oliveoil
1 cup diced carrot
1 ½ cups sliced yellow onion
2 tlbsp slivered garlic
½ cup thinly sliced celery
3 cups diced beets
1 cup seeded, diced tomatoes
2 qts beef stock, or Basic Game Meat Stock
2 cups hearty red wine
1 tsp fennel seed
2 tsp minced fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
1 ½ cups diced red potatoes
1 ½ cups finely shredded red cabbage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tlbsp balsamic vinegar
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Sour cream or crumbled feta cheese for garnish

In a heavy-bottomed stockpot, lightly brown meat in 1 tlbsp of oil. Remove meat with slotted spoon and set aside. Add another tlbsp of oil along with carrots, onion, garlic, and celery to stockpot and sauté until vegetables just begin to color. Return meat to pot and add beets, tomatoes, stock, and red wine, fennel, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 1 ½ to 2 hours, carefully skimming any scum that forms on surface.

Add potatoes and cabbage and cook for 10 minutes longer, or until potatoes are just done. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar and parsley just before serving. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream or feta cheese.

American Game Cooking by John Ash & Sid Goldstein