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Maybe it's that I have just returned from the Rockies, where I saw my share of wildlife. Or maybe it's because my kitchen just prepared the feast for a client's annual hunt. But lately, I have wild game on my mind.

There is something about hunting that I find brutal and beautiful at the same time, undeniably and primordially instinctive.

I was introduced to the annual hunt by one of my favourite uncles when I was 8. The ritual included packing fresh bread and salami, rubber boots, some wine, and a BB gun and water (for me).

We'd cram some hunting dogs and two or three other guys with shotguns all nice and tight in a couple of early-sixties VW Beetles to drive down to Cremona's Po River banks in Italy and shoot some pheasants and hares.

Then we'd head home and totally ruin the meat by cooking it bone-dry. Back then we liked it that way, and it was delicious.

I loved going hunting for the camaraderie and the sight of the dogs acting on their most natural instincts. I never did much damage with my BB gun, but I have good memories.

In Canada, if you want to enjoy wild game, you basically have to hunt it yourself. Almost none of the game meat sold in our stores is really wild, except for the caribou and muskox. With a licence, you can hunt but you can't sell - this is to prevent the slaughter of wild beasts in our beautiful parks and everywhere else they might be. So restaurants like mine are not allowed to sell the meat from indigenous species of wild game.

But we definitely have choices when it comes to "farmed" game - wild boar, kangaroo, alligator. The most popular choice is venison.

Game meats, which generally contain less fat, can be tricky to cook properly. I love to turn venison meat into tartare, carpaccio, rare steak or hamburger, but the most sought-after cut is always the chop.

Brining or marinating is a common way to treat the meat and remove some of the gamey flavour. The proper aging of the meat is also very important. My recommendation is to make friends with your butcher or supplier to make sure you're getting a great product.

This recipe is an adaptation of a classic style of marinade called salmis. It can be used for a variety of game including wild hare or rabbit (for birds I use white wine instead of red to prevent the meat from discolouring). So go ahead and change the meat to the one you like best - or have available to you.

VENISON RACK WITH PEARS AND CRANBERRIES

What you need
2 pounds venison rack, frenched
4 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and diced
1 cup cranberries
1 cup peeled pearl onions, blanched
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste

For the marinade:
½ cup celery, diced
½ cup onions, diced
½ cup carrots, diced
5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
4 bay leaves
2 cups red wine
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 star anise
2 cloves
A grating of nutmeg

What you do
Place all the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and immerse the rack in it. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the rack from the marinade, dry well and set aside. Boil the marinade until reduced by half, strain to remove all vegetables and debris, and set aside.

Heat a skillet, add some oil and butter, season the rack with salt and pepper and sear until golden brown.

Place the skillet in a preheated oven at 375 F and cook until done to your liking, about seven minutes for rare, 15 for medium, 20 for medium well. Remove from the oven and let rest, wrapped in tinfoil.

Place the pears, cranberries and blanched pearl onions in the skillet, and sauté for two minutes at high heat. Pour the marinade juices in and reduce the mixture by half, or until creamy looking.

Cut the rack into chops and serve drizzled with the sauce.

A good accompaniment for this dish would be squash, polenta, mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables of any kind, or cabbage.

Serves 4

Massimo Capra is chef and co-owner of Mistura Restaurant and Sopra Upper Lounge in Toronto, and guest chef on the show Restaurant Makeover.

Beppi's wine matches
Two words: baco noir. This signature Niagara red grape has the robust structure and dense fruit to dance with the gamey flavours and the fruit accompaniment. Look for Henry of Pelham Baco Noir Reserve from Niagara ($24.95).

Other good red choices include California zinfandel, such as Dancing Bull or anything by Ravenswood, and Australian shiraz. Believe it or not, a white, off-dry riesling could work too.
Beppi Crosariol