Tarragon Wild Game Ragout Soup in a Bread Bowl

Dice the wild game meat into 2-3 cm pieces. Peel and finely chop the red onion and garlic. Peel the carrots, parsnip, and celery root, then cut them into smaller cubes. Clean and slice the mushrooms.

Heat the oil or lard in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the wild game meat and sear it on all sides until beautifully golden brown. Remove the meat from the pot and set it aside.

In the remaining fat in the pot, sauté the chopped red onion until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the diced carrots, parsnip, and celery root, then sauté for another 8-10 minutes until slightly softened. Add the garlic, bay leaves, juniper berries, and whole peppercorns, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Deglaze with white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce, then return the meat to the pot. Pour in enough game or beef stock to cover the meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer on low heat for 1.5-2 hours, or until the meat is completely tender. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another 15 minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons of flour with a little cold water or stock until smooth, then gradually stir into the soup. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes until thickened. Stir in the heavy cream and half of the chopped tarragon, bring to a boil again, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Cut off the tops of the bread bowls, then carefully hollow out their insides, leaving a wall of about 1-2 cm thick. Fill the bread bowls with the hot soup, sprinkle with the remaining fresh tarragon, and serve immediately.