FOOD WITH MIGUEL MAESTRE

BULL BOAR SAUSAGES The stunning Victorian region of Daylesford is famous for its natural mineral springs and wholesome cooking traditions. And since the 1850s, the spicy Bull Boar sausage has been a local favourite. Made from pork and beef, they were introduced to the area by Swiss Italian migrants. Chef Miguel meets up with local pork farmer Tammi to learn the secrets of her trademark Bull Boar sausages. Then, it’s a taste sensation as Miguel treats the whole family to his tasty bull boar bangers and mash!

 

 

 

 

   

     

 

ABOUT DAYLESFORD  

• Daylesford, Victoria is a unique spa and wellbeing destination with incredible spas, food, wine, and accommodation

• Daylesford is a feast for the senses. The original Swiss Italian settlers left a legacy of vineyards, olive plantations, rambling stone farmhouses and wholesome cooking traditions that are still evident in the region today

• Daylesford has the highest concentration of natural mineral springs in Australia: the region boasts 80% of the naturally occurring mineral spring water in Australia. This enriching feeds into everything in Daylesford from the incredible spa and wellbeing experiences to the incredible produce that gets served up at the many quality local restaurants. They even bottle it up, with their Spa Country Mineral Water label.

• Daylesford is easy to get to, just an hour from Melbourne Airport

BULL BOAR SAUSAGES  

 

• The bull-boar is a beef and pork sausage produced by the Italian-speaking Swiss population of the Victorian goldfields since the 1850s.

• Spices, wine and garlic make bull-boar a distinctive sausage. The recipe is at risk of extinction in the Swiss/Italian population because of the huge investment and time and labour to make a batch of these sausages. To Italian immigrants, it was simply referred to as salsiccie or ‘sausage’.

• It was called bull-boar on the goldfields by the English-speaking settlers

   

     

 

because it contained both beef and pork in roughly equal proportions, with lean beef and pork that is roughly half fat and lean. The sausage is made with wine in which garlic has steeped and has a sharp, almost ‘high’ taste. It is less fatty than most sausages so can feel slightly dry. It is full of spices such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice, so during cooking it releases an aroma like a meaty hot cross bun.

• Every family in the district has their own recipe which are all carefully guarded secrets. In many instances, apart from their family name, it is their last link with their Italian-speaking forebears who settled the area. The traditional way of cooking bull-boars is to drop them into a pot of water and then bring it to simmering point for 10 minutes.

• Today, bull-boar sausage is made by a handful of local butchers. There is danger of the name being used to produce inferior product. In Hepburn Springs – a center of Swiss-Italian immigration – an annual festival celebrates local food traditions, including bull-boar sausage.

 http://slowfoodaustralia.com.au/our-­‐work/australia/australian-­‐ark/bull-­‐boar-­‐sausage/  

ABOUT THE JONAI FARM  

   

   

     

 

• The Jonas family (aka the Jonai) was tired of choosing between saving the world or savouring it, so figured out a way to do both.

• In May 2011, they left their suburban Melbourne environs behind, took a shortcut across America to glean wisdom from a range of ethical farmers and landed in August on Jonai Farms, just outside the beautiful town of Daylesford to raise happy, tasty, rare-breed pastured pigs.

• They now have a growing herd of rare breed Large Black pigs with many acres to themselves. They also have a dozen lowline cattle enjoying the lush feed their volcanic soils produce. An ever growing, eclectic flock of chooks (Isa Browns, Araucanas, Speckled Sussex, Marans, Pekin Bantams, Silkies and Anconas), and a handful of rare breed Lincoln sheep round out the menagerie of critters on the farm. http://www.jonaifarms.com.au/about/  

 

 

 

If you would like to visit the Jonai Farm, you can email them or drop in during their Open Farm Hours, between Wed-Sat 11am-4pm.

email: jonaifarms@gmail.com

Jonai Farms 129 Morgantis Rd

Eganstown VIC 3461 8km west of Daylesford just 1km off the Midland Hwy

http://www.jonaifarms.com.au/

More about Tammi Jonas: http://www.tammijonas.com/about/

   

     

 

RECIPE

MIGUEL’S BANGERS AND MASH Serves: 4 Equipment: 2 large heavy saucepan, potato mouli or grater, chopping board, small sauce pan, whisk, large spoon, mortar-pestle 500g desiree potatoes 300ml cream, reduced by 1/3rd over gentle heat in a sauce pan 150g butter, diced, room temperature sea salt Method: Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Roast potatoes with skin on for 1.5 hours. Using a large spoon scoop the flesh of the potatoes into a warm mouli or potato grater sitting on a warm pot. Discard skins.

Puree the potato adding a little butter to help the motion, slowly add the hot cream and the remaining butter, whisking it continuously until it remains smooth. Season with salt. Keep warm for use. Peppercorn & onion gravy 600g brown onions, finely sliced 2 gloves garlic, finely sliced 1 tsp green peppercorns, fresh 25g butter 2 tbsp olive oil 1L beef stock, thick consistency (deli shelf for good quality, homemade if possible) salt 1 tbsp whole peppercorns 1 tsp szechuan pepper 1 tsp white pepper

   

     

 

Heat a large pan on medium heat and cook onion, garlic, green peppercorns, butter and a pinch of salt. Cover for 30 minutes until onions soften but don’t get colour. Stir in stock and simmer. Meanwhile in a mortar-pestle, grind the peppers altogether till coarse, add 1 teaspoon slowly to the onion mix, tasting until you are happy with the pepper flavour. Keep reducing until thick consistency. Use potato puree and onion gravy to garnish the bangers.

COOKING LOCATION

Miguel’s “Home away from Home” was ‘Mount Olive’

For more information and to make bookings please contact: Dayget.com.au

http://www.dayget.com.au/Mount-Olive

(03) 5348 4422 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dayget.com.au

Mount Olive provides a glamorous gathering space for four. This chic hideaway blends beautifully styled interiors with a focus on laid back luxury. An expansive kitchen, well equipped for a culinary journey in a region regarded highly for its epicure...slide open the countertop windows to reveal the generously covered decking area with views that stretch along the valley.

WEBLINKS

http://www.jonaifarms.com.au/

http://www.tammijonas.com/about/

http://slowfoodaustralia.com.au/our-work/australia/australian-ark/bull-boar-sausage/

http://www.dayget.com.au/Mount-Olive