Horsemeat is lean and nutritious, has been and is often used in traditional Italian or French recipes. It is also tasty and rich in iron and contains no cholesterol. Here are three recipes easy to do at home.

Braciola alla Barese (horse chops)

 

Although the name of the recipe says “chops”, what this dish is made of is horsemeat rolls. The traditional recipe comes from Puglia and them to be cooked for six hours in tomato sauce.

Ingredients:

8 horsemeat slices

100 gr Pecorino Cheese

80 gr lard

200 ml red wine

Tomato sauce

1 onion

Olive oil

Garlic

Basil

Parsley

Salt and Pepper

Make the rolls placing in the centre of each slice a small piece of lard, julienne-cut Pecorino cheese, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Secure the rolls with a cord. Heat the olive oil and pan fry with wine, preparing in the meantime the tomato sauce with chopped onion and salt. Once ready, place the rolls in the sauce and keep them at low heat making sure they don’t stick. For the last 5 minutes, add the basil. Serves 4.

Source: Sani Sapori, by Jarvis

Pot-au-feu de cheval (horse stew)

 

Ingredients:

Flank, topside, collar horsemeat

Clove of garlic

Onion

Mix of vegetables (leek, celery, cabbage)

Place the meat in cold water and let it cook over low heat removing foam and grease until it boils. Add the garlic, onion (you can caramelize it) and the vegetables and let it cook for eight hours at a low heat.

Pastissada de Caval (horsemeat pie)

 

A traditional dish from Verona, Veneto, it traces back to 489 AD when, after a battle between Odoacer, the King of Italy, and Theoderic, the King of Ostrogoths many horses died and the people – then poor and hungry - used them for food. To keep the meat as long as possible, it was stored in wine, spices and vegetables. The result was a delicious recipe, so much so that it is still cooked today.

Ingredients:

1 kg horsemeat, cut from the rump, or beef if you must

2 sticks celery

2-3 carrots

1 large onion

4 cloves

Coriander seeds

1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic

50 g lard

Olive oil

1 bottle full bodied, dry red wine

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter kneaded in flour

Flour

Paprika to taste (2-3 tablesoons, not too strong)

Lardoon the meat with the lard and slivers of carrots. Dice the other vegetables and put them with the meat and the spices except the paprika in a bowl; pour the wine over everything, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for three days, turning the meat occasionally.

Pat the meat dry (reserve the vegetables and the marinade), flour it, and brown it in the oil, in a pot over a brisk flame. Add the vegetables, and when they've cooked for a few minutes, pour the marinade over the meat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about three hours. Once the meat is done, remove it to a platter and blend the sauce.

Return the sauce to the fire, thicken it with the butter-flour ball, and season it to taste with paprika. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve, with polenta and the side dishes you prefer.

Source: About.com, 

Verona.net