The Wild Chef

Food Fight Friday: Turkish Seafood Edition

Online Editors — Fri, 25 May 2012 08:17:50 -0400

by David Draper

Fried Anchovies and Sea Bass vs. Fried Mussels

You, and all my friends, are going to be sick of hearing this, but did I mention that I recently spent a couple of weeks in Turkey? This trip is going to make up my main conversational fodder for the rest of the summer, with much of it focusing on what I ate — some of which was good and some of which was not the best decision. Of the former, the seafood stands out as highlights of the trip. I’ll say this, Turkish people know their fish, which isn’t a surprise considering that waterways like the Bosphorus Strait define their country. Here are a couple of dishes I encountered.

Fried Anchovies and Sea Bass
One of my favorite afternoon diversions in Istanbul was to find a comfortable chair at one of the cafes under the Galata Bridge, order a beer, and watch the fishermen perched above me reel up sabiki rigs filled with anchovies. It didn’t take long to figure out which angler had the hot hole or when the bite was on. These little fish are a Turk favorite, and many restaurants fry them and serve them whole. Unfortunately for me, this order, along with the seabass fillets were meant for another table. I bet they were delicious.

Fried Mussels
However, these fried mussels were for me. I originally ordered just a bowl of fish soup and coban salata, or a Shepherd’s Salad of diced cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and parsley. (I ate a bowl of coban salata at nearly every meal — even those I cooked myself.) When the waiter suggested mussels, I couldn’t resist. And I’m glad I didn’t. Like the anchovies, mussels are a staple on Turkish tables. These were plucked fresh from the Sea of Marmara and deep-fried. You can also find stuffed mussels sold by street vendors all along the Golden Horn. They’re worth trying, though eating warm shellfish from a kid on a corner takes no small measure of courage.

Dispatch from Turkey: How to Make Venison Kebaps

Online Editors — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:58:47 -0400

by David Draper

I've been traveling through Turkey for the past couple of weeks, both in Istanbul and along the Mediterranean coast. Most of my time was spent doing lots of “research” a.k.a. eating, and if there's one thing I took away from all this hard work it's that Turkey is a street-food country. Everywhere I traveled, there was someone on a street corner selling something to eat, whether it be roasted corn or chestnuts, simit (sort of like a sesame-encrusted bagel), rice-stuffed mussels, fresh melon, or, like most places in Europe, some type of grilled or roasted meat on a skewer.

Of the skewered meats, one of my favorites was an adana kebap, like those from Musam Ocakbasi just a block or so off Istanbul’s Taksim Square. Adana, or kiyma, kebap is made from ground meat, usually lamb, that gets molded onto a long, flat skewer and grilled over coals. A little crunchy on the outside and moist in the middle, the kebap is served with a warm flatbread and zerzavat, an onion salad (see recipe below). Some places also provide either a yogurt or spicy tomato sauce as well.

I couldn't help but think an adana kebap could translate into something from the Wild Chef freezer, so I did a little research and came up with this recipe using ground venison in place of the lamb. If you mix your ground venison a little heavy on the pork or beef tallow, all the better, as you want to keep the mixture as moist as possible. In the following recipe, I added an egg to help hold everything together.

Venison Adana Kebaps

Ingredients
- 1 pound ground venison
- 1 egg
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped fine
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. salt

Directions
1. Add the ingredients to a large bowl and, using your hands, mix everything together quickly, but thoroughly. Cover and place the bowl in the refrigerator for about an hour to let the flavors combine and mixture set.

2. Remove the meat mix from the refrigerator and pull off a piece about the size of an egg. Form this tightly and evenly along the length of a flat skewer. (Try to find the widest, flattest skewers you can. These are close to what they use in Turkey, though not exact.) And if you don't have a flat skewer, you can form elongated patties, sort of like a flattened sausage. Repeat with the remaining mix.

3. Place the skewers over a medium-hot fire and grill, turning often, until the outside is a bit charred and the inside is cooked through. Serve with warm flat bread and zerzavat.

Zerzavat

Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion, sliced thin
- 1 tsp. sumac
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped fine
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 4 lemon wedges

Directions
Mix first four ingredients together and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Contest: What’s Your Secret to Better Venison Burgers?

Sarah Smith — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:08:05 -0400

by David Draper

I’ve run into many hunters, even those who love and live on game meat—except they don’t like venison burgers. “Too dry,” they say. Or, “Won’t stick together.” I’ve even heard grown men who will wolf down a deer steak say that ground venison, pressed and pattied, is “too gamey.”

Humanitarian that I am, and goodwill ambassador of game meat, I’d like to enlighten those poor people who are missing out on one of summer’s best meals: a deer burger cooked over open flame. And I’d like your help. Give me your best tip or secret ingredient for making venison burgers that stick together and taste great. I’ll sort through them and pick a couple of winners.

The best tip or ingredient will receive a great prize package, including a new cast-iron pan from Camp Chef. I’ll also award two runners-up with special game and fish seasoning blends from Hi Mountain Seasonings and Cabela’s.

Tips must be posted in the comment section by 5 p.m. (Mountain Time) on Friday, May 25, to be eligible.

Food Fight Friday: Venison Shanks vs. Turkey Tenders

Sarah Smith — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:36:21 -0400

by David Draper

Although both of these dishes were cooked within the last week or so, stylistically they’re of two very different seasons. The first, a hearty braise of venison shanks, reminds me of winter, when roasting meats is the affair of long days trapped inside. In the second, that icon of April—the wild turkey—is prepared simply and quickly. Served with asparagus and mushrooms, it’s just the thing to get you in the mood for spring.

Braised Venison Shanks

You’re probably tired of hearing this, but I’ll say it again anyway: Venison shanks are the best cut a deer or elk has to offer. Braised long enough, the meat falls off the bone, offering a rich and tasty alternative to plain old pot roast. These were served with a Dijon mustard pan sauce and garlicky cannellini beans and tomatoes. The only thing missing was a big chunk of crusty bread with which to clean my plate.

Spring Pasta With Turkey and Mushrooms

For the traveling turkey hunter, spring is a sleep-deprived blur. I got home from my most recent trip to find a fridge that was virtually empty, save for a bunch of asparagus and some mushrooms, both of which were nearing the end of their lifespan. Luckily, I also had some fresh turkey breasts in tow, from which I peeled the tenders, diced them and served up in a quick and simple pasta before hitting the sack for some much needed sleep.

Think you’ve got a great food photo? Put it to the test in an upcoming Food Fight Friday. Just send you photos, along with a short description, to fswildchef@gmail.com.

My Favorite Gear: Coleman Dual Fuel Camp Stove

Online Editors — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:57:28 -0400

by David Draper

Back in college, I spent one of my first federal student-aid checks on camping gear. I bet I could make a pretty convincing argument that spending the money on outdoor equipment was a better investment than paying my tuition. Or, at least, that’s how I rationalized it at the time. I will say, much of what I learned in college has been long forgotten, but I still use some of the gear today, including my trusty Coleman Dual Fuel 2-Burner Stove.

This old metal stove has been a faithful companion over the years, frying lots of bacon, simmering plenty of beans and boiling gallons of water in the mountains, on beaches, and on a tailgate or two. I like the ritual of unpacking the stove, setting up the windscreen and silently counting the pump strokes it takes to pressurize the fuel tank. When the stove comes out, good food and good times are sure to follow.

I didn’t take much time deciding on what brand of stove to buy. My dad and his dad both had green Coleman camp stoves, and so would I. But what took up a lot of pre-purchase thought and research was which model I would choose: the classic Dual Fuel or a propane-powered version. While the latter boasted both convenience and a more affordable price, I went with the versatility of the former, thinking if I ever found myself out of white gas, I could still make breakfast with kerosene or even a liter of unleaded. Besides, I’ve always had a deeply rooted suspicion that the minute I bought something that required a special canister, they’d soon stop making the thing.

Twenty years later, a gallon of white gas (or Coleman fuel as we’ve always called it) is harder to find than the now ubiquitous one-pound propane bottles sold everywhere. Just a month ago, I stopped in a lakeside tackle shop looking for some gas for my Dual Fuel Lantern (bought with the same student loan check) and the lady behind the counter barely knew what I was talking about. She did, however, have plenty of propane bottles on hand.

Coleman still makes the Dual Fuel stoves, though you don’t see many of them around anymore. Many outdoor stores don’t even have them in stock. Instead, everyone has the propane version. Well, they can have the flimsy things. I’ll take my smelly, messy, metal suitcase any day of the week. I may not remember anything from Historical Imperatives of the Frontier 301, but I’ll never forget that it takes 25 strokes of the pump before sparking up my Coleman Dual Fuel stove.

Prepping: Have You Ever Canned Venison?

Sarah Smith — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:58:11 -0400

by David Draper

As obsessed with (and frankly, terrified of) a nuclear disaster as I was when I was young, the whole doomsday madness going on today has pretty much passed me by. Maybe living within sight of an ICBM bunker, one gets used to having an ever-present harbinger of the End Times in your backyard. That, or I’m just too busy to care. Still, there is one thing Wild Chef readers and doomsday preppers have in common: a perhaps unhealthy obsession with food.

The real problem I have with the preppers is the kinds of food they’re putting up. I’m not sure I want to live in a world where I have to eat white rice and something called textured soy protein every day. And what about working your way through a three-month supply of Rice-a-Roni? That thought alone is enough to make me hope my house takes a direct hit from the first Russian SCARP (which, considering the Minuteman missile buried across the road, is not that unlikely).

So, what would I live on should the Mayans be right? Well, there’s probably at least 200 pounds of fish and wild game in the deep freeze that I'll have to do something with before it goes bad. That means making a lot of jerky, corned venison and other salt- and/or smoked-cured meats.

Putting all that meat up will probably also mean canning some of it. Sadly, canned venison, or any other meat for that matter, is something I don’t have much experience with, other than eating a jar of it late one night at some backwoods Pennsylvania bar. I remember it was pretty tasty, though that might be more due the state I was in at the time.

So I’m thinking about canning some of my wild game, more because I need to make room in the freezer than for any sort of doomsday prepping. Have any of you done it, and if so, what tips can you share? Is it worth the time and trouble?

Food Fight Friday: Smoked Trout vs. Halibut Ceviche

Sarah Smith — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:52:04 -0400

by David Draper

Everyone must be catching fishing fever as we got two submissions featuring finned fare for this Friday’s Food Fight. The first comes from Wild Chef reader Split 484, who sent in a great looking photo of some smoked trout and killer accompaniments. Deputy editor Colin Kearns also passed along a fish-themed food photo of a batch of halibut ceviche. Both look so good, I can’t decide who should win, so I’m leaving it up to you.

Split 484’s Smoked Trout

Even though we like to go barbless, sometimes trout have to come home. These are fresh from Colorado’s western slope, smoked and served over mango salsa with cucumber raita and naan. So tasty we had to share.

Colin’s Halibut Ceviche

I thawed a pound of halibut that I caught in Alaska last summer (vacuum-sealers really are lifesavers), and made some ceviche, following a recipe from Field & Stream’s Wild Chef columnist, Jonathan Miles. I wish I could share the recipe with you now, but you’ll just have to hold off a couple more months before it appears in the magazine. Trust me, it’s worth the wait.

Just for competing in today’s Food Fight Friday, Split 484 is going to get a big box of goodies from Camp Chef, and Hi-Mountain Seasoning. And there’s more where that came from, so email me your food photo to fswildchef@gmail.com. If we feature it here, we’ll send you something good, too.

And if you need some inspiration in the kitchen, check out our new photo gallery of the Wild Chef’s Best Fish and Turkey Recipes.

Recipe: How to Cook Trout Stew

Sarah Smith — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:55:18 -0400

by David Draper

Last Friday’s Food Fight featured a couple of great-looking fish dishes, including a fish stew from my good friend Chris Ellis. Now, some folks might think the words “fish” and “stew” don’t go together, but I’ve eaten enough cioppino—a wine-based seafood stew—to know the pairing can be incredible.

Also, for a former river rat and affirmed West Virginia hill jack, Chris has some pretty good chops in the kitchen and he’s been on a big soup kick lately. Luckily, he agreed to share his recipe with Wild Chef readers.

Trout Stew

Ingredients:
-1 trout, cleaned and scaled
-3 Tbsp. olive oil
-2 medium onions, chopped
-2 garlic cloves, minced
-1 cup fresh parsley
-2 tomatoes, chopped
-2 Tbsp. tomato paste, optional
-1 cup dry white wine
-Fish stock
-Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Give each side of a cleaned trout a quick spray of Pam or other cooking spray and place in glass casserole dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on size of trout.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sauté. Cook until translucent and smelling good. Add the parsley and give it a good stir.

Add the tomatoes to the pan. (Here’s when I also like to add a couple big spoonfuls of tomato paste if I have some handy for added flavor and color.) When everything looks dandy, I add a cup or so of dry white wine, give it a good stir and let it bubble.

Remove the trout from the oven and place on a cutting board. Run a knife along the fish’s lateral line. With a fork, lift meat from rib cage exposing entire skeleton. With one side of the meat removed, you can either lift skeleton from the meat on opposite side or flip the trout over and repeat. The skin will literally peel off the meat leaving you a pile of boneless, skinless trout goodness.

If you need to eat right now, add the trout pieces and enough fish stock to make the stew look like stew and simmer until you drool. I prefer to transfer the veggie mixture to a Dutch oven or slow cooker, add the trout and fish stock, then simmer until the house smells yummy.

Either way, add salt and pepper to your liking. Serve stew with oyster crackers, Tabasco, and of course, a cold Coors Light or two.

5 Tips For Safer Summer Grilling

Sarah Smith — Mon, 07 May 2012 12:54:13 -0400

by David Draper

I know for many Wild Chef readers every season is grilling season, but the rest of the world is just now getting fired up to grill. Cooking over coals (or propane if you must) doesn’t just happen at home; summer also means grilling in the great outdoors. Whether you’re putting the fire to fish, wild game, or tamer fare, either at home or away, here are five tips for safer grilling this summer.

1. If you’re picnicking, pack along a minimum of three gallons of clean water. When handling raw meat, you’ll need to wash your hands, and utensils, regularly -- and you can’t always count on having water handy in the woods. Make sure to have plenty of paper towels, extra dishcloths, or moist towelettes along as well.

2. Have a couple of cutting boards at the ready so you can use a different one for meats and veggies. Same goes for serving platters and plates. Cross contamination is one of the leading causes of food poisoning.

3. Keep food cold. Bacteria starts growing at temperatures above 40 degrees so don’t pull the meat out of the fridge or cooler until just before you throw it on the grill.

4. If at all possible, thaw frozen meat -- especially poultry -- slowly in the refrigerator or, if you must, in sealed packages submerged in cold (never warm or hot) water. Thawing meat on the kitchen counter is an invitation for bacteria to thrive.

5. The most important grilling tool in your arsenal is a good, reliable food thermometer. It’s safer, not to mention easier and more reliable, than cutting into the meat (and losing all those tasty juices). Make sure to know the FDA’s recommended minimum temperatures for the meat your cooking.

Do you have any other tips for safer, and easier grilling this summer? If so, let’s hear them.

Food Fight Friday: Trout vs. Basa

Sarah Smith — Fri, 04 May 2012 09:06:13 -0400

by David Draper

Trout Stew vs. Basa Oreganata

From the results of last week’s Bourbon vs. Scotch fight, it’s evident Wild Chef readers not only like to have a nip now and then, but also have strong opinions on what they splash in their glass. If you haven’t checked the results lately, my single-malt got a pretty good licking from Colin’s Four Roses, which I’ll admit wasn’t all that surprising. I’m also man enough to admit the next time I see a bottle of Four Roses I’m going to give it a try.

The post was so popular I considered rebranding this blog Booze Fight Friday, but I know readers love their food, too, so for now, we’ll stick to that. This week it’s a fishy battle between two readers.

Chris Ellis’s Fish Stew

“I’ve known former fishing guide Chris Ellis for many years since he first rowed me down the New River, and I’ll tell you, he’s not one to brag. So, when he sent me this pic accompanied by a single word, ‘amazing,’ I immediately asked him for the recipe. I’m going to wait and share that with you next week, but for now you should know the fish featured in the stew is fresh caught trout from an unnamed West Virginia creek.”

Alberto Bocus’s Basa Oreganata

“Not wild caught but very good! I got basa fillets and topped them with a mixture of panko breadcrumbs, fresh garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Then I baked them in the oven. Great meal!”

Fish, fowl, or anything else—we need your food photos. If you’d like to compete in an upcoming Food Fight Friday, send your photos to fswildchef@gmail.com.