The game season

Last Saturday being my birthday, we went out for dinner in a restaurant just this side of the French border. On arrival, the first thing we saw was a huge banner saying "La chasse est ouverte". Yes, it's that time of the year when you can gorge on pheasant, partridge, hare, venison, wild boar and other delights of the hunting season. Switzerland takes this very seriously and all the restaurants (at least the ones that serve European food and that aren't vegetarian) advertise this season on their menu boards.

I like autumn food in general; the berries, the root vegetables but especially the game. It has such a rich taste; one that lends itself also to delicious sauces. I recall once in Brussels being served a plate with two saddles of hare; one in a cream sauce and one in a red wine sauce with the contrasting coulours meeting along a straight line down the middle of the plate. This week I am in Hungary where the passion for game is, if anything, even stronger.

My efforts with cooking game have been mixed. It's easy to overcook it and, because it is so lean, it can also be too dry - especially if not adequately marinaded. I find it easiest to casserole it, allowing the rich flavours of the meat (and bones) to permeate the cooking liquid. I should say, it goes very well with sweet condiments - redcurrant or cranberry jelly or sauce, fries apple, apple sauce, etc. Red cabbage with apple is an excellent side-dish (and that's easy to cook).

Is it healthy? Very! It's the leanest red meat there is. Is it sustainable? Well, it wouldn't feed the planet é not by a long way! In fact, it wouldn't even feed Switzerland. However, it is chemical free and probably has the lowest footprint of any kind of meat. Essentially, if it's treated as a treat to be indulged in occasionally it's perfectly sustainable.