Posted on December 05, 2016

Paula Jussila’s Wild Boar Sausage and Kale Frittata | Wine Spectator

A California winery owner transforms a vineyard problem into brunchtime bounty

Nutty, gamy and slightly sweet, wild boar meat can be just the thing when the cold weather has you craving heartier fare, yet it’s leaner than regular pork thanks to the fact that this feral animal, by definition, lives wild and free.

Paso Home, Nordic Heart,” by Mark Morrison, in Wine Spectator’s (Dec. 31, 2016, issue) are plagued year-round by a population of wild boars. “They’re a problem,” Paula says, “and there are a lot of them.” Left unchecked, the pigs run rampant, ripping up lawns and helping themselves to grapes in the vineyard. The Jussilas now trap and kill the boars that venture onto their property, then have an area butcher process the meat into fridge-ready cuts.

One of their favorite ways to enjoy the hyper-local animal is in sausage form. The boar sausage frittata recipe that Paula has provided here is perfect for a winter brunch alongside a lemony green salad. (You can order wild boar sausage online from specialty retailers, or substitute the sausage of your choice. Sweet Italian sausage, though it's milder and lacks the gaminess of boar, would work well for its salty-sweetness.)

What to drink with wild boar? “A Syrah-heavy wine would be the best,” Paula says. “You want something that’s gonna stand up to the strong meaty taste in the dish.” She and Kevin pair the frittata with their Kukkula Pas de Deux Paso Robles 2012, a smoky, spicy Syrah-Grenache blend. Either a Northern Rhône selection such as the Equis St.-Joseph 2014 (91 points, $30) or a South African bottling like the Duncan Savage Western Cape 2013 (93, $45) would make a fine alternative.

See recipe here: http://bit.ly/2h0lpJU