P
Italian · Valle d'Aosta
Camoscio in Salmì con Polenta Concia Valdostana
Chamois (camoscio) from the Gran Paradiso massif hung for four to five days, butchered, then marinated for 48 hours in Valle d'Aosta red wine (Donnas or Torrette), juniper berries, bay, rosemary, thyme, black pepper and sliced vegetables. The marinated pieces are drained, dried, then browned in lard in a heavy casserole. The strained marinade is reduced by half and added back to the pan with the browned meat; the salmì braises covered for two to three hours over very low heat. The cooking juices are enriched with bitter chocolate (a classical alpine technique) and adjusted with salt. Served over polenta concia — polenta enriched with Fontina and butter — absorbing the dark, complex braising sauce.
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I
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
1.2 kg
chamois (camoscio), bone-in shoulder or leg
hung 4–5 days in a cool space, butchered into large braising pieces
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
For the marinade
750 ml
Valle d'Aosta red wine
Donnas or Torrette
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1 medium
onion
sliced
Your own market
2 medium
carrots
sliced
Your own market
2 stalks
celery
sliced
Your own market
6
juniper berries
lightly crushed
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
2
bay leaves
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1 sprig
rosemary
fresh
Your own market
3 sprigs
1 tsp
black peppercorns
whole
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
For the braise
60 g
lard
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
8 g
bitter chocolate
minimum 70% cocoa; 5–10 g per kg of meat
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1 sprig
rosemary
fresh, reserved for the final 20 minutes
Your own market
fine salt
salt
to adjust at the end
Your own market
For the polenta concia
200 g
coarse polenta
Your own market
800 ml
water
Your own market
150 g
Fontina
rind removed, diced small
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
60 g
unsalted butter
cut into cubes
Your own market
Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
II
The Method
1
Place the chamois pieces in a deep, non-reactive container. Add the sliced vegetables, juniper berries, bay, rosemary, thyme and peppercorns. Pour over the wine; the meat must be fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours, turning the pieces once at the midpoint. The marinade is ready when the wine has taken on colour from the aromatics and the meat surface has dulled to a deep burgundy.
2
Lift the meat from the marinade and set it on a rack. Strain the marinade through a sieve, reserving the liquid and discarding the solids. Pat every surface of the meat thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. The surface must feel dry to the touch, with no moisture visible — any remaining liquid will steam rather than sear.
3
Pour the strained marinade into a wide saucepan and bring to a vigorous boil. Reduce by half over high heat. The reduced marinade should coat the back of a spoon lightly and carry no sharp raw-alcohol smell — the aroma should be of concentrated wine and aromatics.
4
Heat the lard in a heavy casserole over high heat until it shimmers and begins to haze. Brown the chamois pieces in batches, without crowding, turning to colour all sides. This is the step on which the dish lives or dies: a deep mahogany crust must form on every surface; pale or steamed meat will produce a flat, thin sauce regardless of what follows.
5
Return all browned meat to the casserole. Pour the reduced marinade over the pieces. Bring to a bare simmer, cover tightly, and braise over very low heat for 2 to 3 hours. Add the fresh rosemary sprig in the final 20 minutes. The meat is done when it yields completely to a skewer inserted at the thickest point and the fibres begin to separate at gentle pressure.
6
Remove the meat to a warm plate. Finely grate or chop the bitter chocolate and stir it into the hot braising juices off direct heat until dissolved. Adjust salt. The finished sauce should be dark, glossy and rounded — no single note of tannin, chocolate or salt should dominate.
7
While the braise finishes, bring the salted water to a rolling boil in a heavy saucepan. Rain in the polenta in a steady stream, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat, continuing to stir, until the polenta pulls from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and beat in the Fontina and butter until fully melted and the polenta flows like thick cream. Keep warm in the pan; it should remain very soft, almost pourable.
8
Spoon the polenta concia into warmed deep plates. Place the chamois pieces on top and ladle the chocolate-enriched sauce over and around. Serve immediately; the polenta must still be fluid enough to absorb the braising sauce at the table.
III
Quality Hierarchy
01
Reserve — Chamois from the Gran Paradiso massif, hung the full five days; Donnas or Torrette from a named producer of the appellation; Fontina DOP from high-altitude summer milk; bitter chocolate of 85% cocoa or above.
02
Estate — Any wild chamois or mountain roe deer properly hung four to five days; a sound Valle d'Aosta Torrette from a reliable cooperative; Fontina DOP from standard production; 70–80% chocolate.
03
Market — Farmed venison, hung a minimum of four days; a robust Nebbiolo or Dolcetto in place of the regional wine; Fontina-style mountain cheese from the alpine arc; 70% chocolate.
04
House — Any available venison or wild boar shoulder; any full-bodied dry red wine high in tannin; Gruyère or Comté in the polenta; standard bittersweet baking chocolate.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Touch. After drying, the meat surface must feel completely dry — no moisture transfers to the hand.
◇Smell. The reduced marinade should carry no sharp raw-alcohol note; the aroma should be of concentrated fruit and alpine herbs.
◇Sight. A deep mahogany crust, unbroken across all surfaces, confirms the Maillard reaction is complete before braising begins.
◇Touch. A skewer meets no resistance at the thickest point of the braise and the fibres begin to separate under gentle pressure.
◇Sight. The polenta concia, with Fontina and butter fully incorporated, flows from the spoon rather than holding a peak.
◇Where it lives or dies. The dish lives or dies at the browning stage: every surface of the dried meat must form a deep mahogany crust in very hot lard — pale or steamed meat cannot be recovered by the braise and will yield a flat, thin sauce.
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VI
What to Pour
The pairing
Wine
From British Columbia
Wine
Without alcohol
GT's Synergy Organic Kombucha — Gingerade
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
Non-alcoholic
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The whole pairingPillar VII
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