Wild boar cotoletta with native salsa verde

The Italian breaded cutlet receives a Torres Strait Islander twist with the use of wild boar in place of the more commonly used veal, pork or chicken. Top with a homemade native salsa verde packed with warrigal greens, saltbush, pepperberry and bush tomatoes.

Credit: Island Echoes

• serves

  2

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup (150 g) plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dried saltbush flakes
• 2 tbsp ground bush tomato
• 1 tsp ground pepperberry
• 1 tbsp ground wattleseed
• 600 g wild boar (see Note)
• Vegetable oil, for shallow-frying

For the native salsa verde

• 1 cup warrigal greens, thinly sliced
• ½ cup fresh saltbush leaves, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp dried saltbush flakes
• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp ground pepperberry
• 1 tsp ground bush tomato
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 eschallot, finely chopped
• ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar

Instructions

1. To make the native salsa verde, combine the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well to combine, ensuring the sugar has fully dissolved. Set aside until needed.
2. To make the wild boar cotoletta, prepare a crumbing station of three shallow bowls – place the plain flour in the first, whisk the eggs with a fork in the second, then combine the breadcrumbs, saltbush, bush tomatoes, ground pepperberry and wattleseed in the third.
3. Cut the wild boar into ½ cm thin slices, then use a meat mallet to flatten out to 2mm thick. Dip each slice of wild boar into the flour, beaten egg and seasoned breadcrumbs, turning to coat at each stage so each piece is fully coated.
4. Heat enough oil to shallow-fry in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, pan-fry the wild boar cotoletta for 2 minutes each side, or until golden-brown and cooked through. Remove to a paper-towel lined tray to drain off any excess oil, then repeat until all the cotoletta is cooked.
5. Transfer the wild boar cotoletta to a large serving plate. Spoon the native salsa verde over the cotoletta and serve.

Note

• You can source wild boar meat from your butcher, but if you can't find it, substitute with thin pork loin steaks.

Watch how to make this recipe on Episode 8 of Island Echoes with Nornie Bero.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.