Domenica’s Cinghiale Alla Griglia (Grilled Wild Boar)

When Chef Mike Macaluso from Nutley, NJ, last visited family in Cefalù, Sicily, his sister Domenica celebrated by grilling wild boar chops, marinated in lemon juice and olive oil and brushed with rosemary leaves still on the branch. Fresh off the grill, Domenica’s moist, tender chops were served over a bed of sweet, tangy citrus salad. While Domenica’s salad calls for huge, sweet lemons available only in Sicily, Mike says that mellow Meyer lemons taste pretty good too!

Grilled Wild Boar

Ingredients

• 4 wild boar chops fresh rosemary leaves on branch
• 3 fresh Meyer lemons salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Place olive oil, lemon juice, and a sprig of rosemary leaves into sauce pan over medium flame. Briefly heat this marinade mixture to 180°F; remove from heat and allow to cool.

Lay chops on shallow glass baking dish; pour marinade over chops. Cover dish with plastic wrap; refrigerate four hours. Turn chops hourly.

Thirty minutes before grilling, remove baking dish from refrigerator. Remove chops from marinade; lightly season with salt and pepper to taste. Vigorously rub both sides of chops with fresh rosemary leaves on the branch; brush with real extra virgin olive oil. Grill to desired doneness. Let rest briefly; serve individual chops on a bed of citrus salad (see below).

Sicilian Citrus Salad

Ingredients

• 1 large pummelo (or two medium blood oranges)
• 2 tangerines
• 1 Meyer lemon
• 1 cup chopped greens (e.g., romaine, arugula, frisée)
• extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

Peel pummelo, tangerines, and lemon; separate into segments. Cut pummelo and tangerine segments into bite sized pieces. Thinly slice lemon segments crosswise; toss evenly with pummelo and tangerine pieces.

To plate salad, top greens with citrus mixture and lightly drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.