Horse

It has a mild, slightly sweet flavour, often compared with beef, and a fine texture. Strong marinades can overwhelm it; try garlic, black pepper and a little vinegar or red wine.

Because it is relatively lean, sear a steak in a very hot pan for a short time, then let it rest before slicing across the grain. For minced horse meat, cook it through to 70 °C for 2 minutes.

In Verona, pastissada de caval is a slow-braised horse-meat stew with wine, onions and spices, often served with polenta. Horse meat is also sold as steaks, sausages and cured meats.

Keep it covered on the bottom shelf of the fridge and use it within 1–2 days. Freeze it if you will not cook it in that time, and thaw it in the fridge rather than on the worktop.

Deer has 21 g of protein per 100 g, compared with 20 g in horse meat.

Raw horse meat is sometimes served as tartare, but raw meat can carry harmful bacteria or parasites. The safer choice is to cook it thoroughly, especially when it is minced.