You can substitute rabbit for squirrel in this tasty ragout. The long cooking time ensures maximum flavour and perfectly tender meat.
1. Heat a slug of rapeseed oil in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and saute until softened but not coloured, about 10 minutes, then transfer the sauteed vegetables to a large casserole dish.
2. In the same frying pan, saute the lardons until golden, then add to the veg.
3. Next, brown the squirrel in the same frying pan, before transferring to the casserole dish. Mix well with the veg and lardons.
4. Deglaze the pan in which you fried the meat with the red wine, making sure you scrape up all of the tasty brown bits, then pour the liquid into the casserole.
5. Stir in the roasted tomato puree from this recipe, stock, salt and pepper, and the fresh herbs tied into a bundle with kitchen string.
6. Bring to the boil then cook, covered, on a very gentle simmer for 1½ -2 hours, stirring from time to time.
7. When the meat is very tender, remove it from the bones and set aside.
8. Discard the bundle of herbs then pass the cooking liquid through a sieve into a large bowl, pushing through as much of the vegetables as you can to help thicken the sauce.
9. Return the sauce to the pan, bring to a simmer and reduce by one third.
10. Season sauce to taste and return the squirrel meat to the pan and warm through before serving with the nettle tagliatelle.
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