Food for Hunters

Venison Un-Kabobs

2013-06-14T00:06:00.000-05:00

Hello to all our summer grilling fans! Yup, that time is here when all you grill masters pull out your barbecue, clean them up and get ready for our favorite outdoor cooking season. Kabobs are always a favorite way to cook meat but we are going to put a little spin on this particular way of cooking. Instead of using skewers, we will use a hinged grilling grate.

This will help keep those wonderful juices inside the meat and not dripping out of those savory little chunks. This particular marinade gives a deliciously different flavor than the usual tastes we associate with kabobs. Also, I am keeping the potatoes and mushrooms separate in this cooking method so you can control the tenderness of the potatoes. Corn is in season right now, making it the perfect reason to get a pile and cook them per our Perfect Corn on the Cob recipe, found in our recipe index at the top. Please enjoy!

Servings: 2
Prep Time (including marinating time): 2 hours
Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. venison stew meat
Marinade
- 1 cup of burgundy wine
- 1/2 cup of soy sauce
- 1 tbs. of curry powder
- 1/4 tsp. of ground ginger
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
Kabob ingredients
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
- 1 green pepper, sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1 package of sliced mushrooms
- 1 15 oz can of sliced potatoes, drained
- 3 tbs. of butter
- garlic salt, to taste
- ground black pepper

1. Clean stew meat of all silver skin and fat. Cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes. Set aside.

2. Combine burgundy, soy sauce, curry powder and garlic into a non-reactive bowl and place venison into the marinade.

Marinate for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

3. While the meat is marinating, slice the zucchini, onion, green pepper and tomatoes. Set aside.

4. In a medium frying pan, melt butter, an eighth of the sliced onion and mushrooms. Saute for about 10 minutes then add potatoes. Season with garlic salt and ground black pepper. Sauté for another 10 minutes, cover and set aside. You don't want to get the potatoes too soft.

5. Start the barbecue. While the coals are getting hot, open a hinged grilling grate and place the zucchini, the rest of the onion, green pepper, tomatoes and meat in it and secure snugly.

6. Place the grate on the grill, cooking for about 5 minutes on each side. Make sure you do not overcook the meat.

7. Serve un-kabob ingredients with potato/mushroom mixture and your favorite beverage!

Pheasant Coq au Vin

2013-06-03T22:21:00.000-05:00

Translated into English, Coq au Vin means "rooster/cock with wine." Traditionally, it is a long, braising process of an old, tough rooster, but modern recipes today use regular chicken, which doesn't take long to cook at all. The bird in this recipe was a rooster pheasant that was given to me. Although I don't find pheasant breast tough at all, it's legs can certainly be, benefitting from the longer braising time that this recipe was originally intended for.

If using game that you harvested yourself, it will of course take a little more time to prepare, unlike buying ready-to-cook chicken from the store. I cleaned the pheasant as best as I could once it came off the field, but I still needed to put in some extra work before I could actually cook with it, even if the bird was entirely skinned-- or maybe it's because I'm just slow. Getting every bit of feather off the bird was a pain in the butt, but finding pheasant feathers in your finished dish is even worse. Also, remember to look for shot and to dig out feathers that may have lodged into the wounds.

I like dishes like these because they utilize the whole bird, or most of it. Out of laziness, I am sometimes guilty of just breasting out birds as well, but it always makes me feel bad afterwards because there is still quite a bit of meat on the legs, as you can see in the photo above. Learn how to braise and you'll feel more likely to save the whole bird. That's how it should always be.

Servings: 4
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours
Ingredients:
- 3 slices of thick cut bacon, chopped
- 1 whole pheasant
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbs. of flour
- 1/2 lb. of carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup of cognac or brandy
- 1/2 bottle of dry red wine, like Burgundy or Syrah(Shiraz)
- 1 cup of chicken stock
- 10 fresh springs of thyme
- 2 tbs. of unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
- 1/2 lb. of pearl onions
- 2 tbs. of olive oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp. of sugar
- 1/2 lb. of baby bella mushrooms, quartered

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Clean and wash pheasant thoroughly. Remove any yellow fat on meat. Separate into 6 pieces: legs, breasts and back cut into 2 pieces. Slice breasts into smaller pieces. Sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides. Set aside.

Yellow onion and carrots should be cut like so.

2. In a Dutch oven, cook bacon until crispy over medium heat. Remove bacon and set aside.

3. Lightly dredge pheasant pieces in flour and brown on both sides in bacon fat. Cook in batches and do not overcrowd the pan. No need to cook through. Just brown the outside.

Set aside the pheasant with the bacon.

4. Lower heat to medium-low and add carrots and onion to the pan. Add more oil if necessary. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until turning brown-- stir often. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

5. Next, add 1/4 cup of cognac to the pan. DO NOT POUR DIRECTLY FROM BOTTLE. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Put the bacon and pheasant back into the Dutch oven, along with any juices from the plate. Add wine, chicken stock and thyme. Add 1 tsp. of salt. Bring to a simmer.

Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in a 250 degree F oven for 1.5 hours.

6. For easy peeling, add pearl onions to a pot of boiling water and boil for 2 minutes. Drain and run under cold water. Cut off root end and squeeze onions out of their skins.

They should pop right out!

7. In a skillet, cook pearl onions, 1/2 tsp. of sugar and 1/2 cup of water over high heat. Cook until onions start to fry then lower heat to medium-low. Cook until onions begin to glaze, stir occasionally. Set aside.

8. Quarter mushrooms. Heat 1 tbs. of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and sauté for 5-10 minutes, or until browned.

9. Remove pheasant from oven and bring it back to the stove. Check to see if pheasant legs are tender. Discard thyme. Add mushrooms and pearl onions to the pot.

To thicken up the stew, mash together 1 tbs. of flour and 1 tbs. of softened butter, then mix into the stew. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve hot with mashed potatoes and/or French bread.

Potato, Leek with Wild Asparagus and Onion Soup

2013-05-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

I have been loving spring in Nebraska because of the foraging opportunities. With warmer weather and spring rains come morel mushroom, wild asparagus and wild onion hunting. In a few more weeks, the wild flowers will be out, and in summer will come sweet berries. I have been learning loads, and I can't wait to show Rick when he gets here!

This soup I made is a variation of potato leek. Usually, I like to bake or grill asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper. That's how I almost always have it. But for the blog, I wanted to try something different.

I also had a bunch of wild onions in the fridge that needed to be used. With its mild, delicate flavor, wild onions make a great garnish for all kinds of dishes, including soup.

To the right is a photo of my friend Bekah. We were out on someone's property to examine some cedar trees. Bekah stopped the truck, we hopped out and she showed me what wild onions look like. So we dug a bunch up with what we had on hand... a small rusty saw and a deer antler-- it worked.
It had just recently rained then and when I think on it, the most distinct things I can remember about that day was the faint, sweet odor of freshly picked wild onions, the feeling of moist dirt under my fingernails and the smell of spring rain all around me. Everything felt so alive. If I could sing, I would've broken into a Julie Andrews song.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tbs. of butter
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 leek stalk, white and light green parts chopped and washed thoroughly
- about 6-7 red potatoes (or an equal amount of russets), peeled and diced
- about 15 wild asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups of chicken stock
- 1 tbs. of chopped wild onions
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, snipped (just a pinch for dry)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- grated parmesan cheese, to taste
- hot sauce (optional)

1. In a medium pot, cook garlic and leeks in butter. Cover and cook over low for 10 minutes. Stir often and do not brown the leeks. During the last 5 minutes, add the asparagus.

Next, add potatoes and chicken stock. Then add enough water to submerge all veggies and then some. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.

Here's an Instagram photo of the asparagus I found a couple weeks ago along the roadside. If you know where to look, they're everywhere up here in Northeast Nebraska. They like moist, damp places like roadside ditches and along crop fences.

They can be hard to spot, but look for the yellow, dead mature asparagus plant that stands out. At the base of these dead mature plants might be some green asparagus ready for eating, like in the photo.

2. When cooked, take off heat. With a stick blender, blend veggies until smooth. If using a standard blender, blend in batches. Then mix in snipped thyme, wild onion, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with extra parmesan cheese, wild onion and hot sauce (optional).

Wild onions like to grow in damp places. They have small, purple/pink flowers at the top and a tiny white bulb at the bottom, similar to scallions. However, they are a lot smaller compared to scallions, more like the size of chives really. Just peel off the brown, burlap-like skin off the bulbs before you use them.

There is a toxic plant that looks similar to wild onions. An easy way to tell them apart is by simply tearing off a piece and smelling it. If it smells like onion, then you have the right kind for eating.

All of the plant is edible, even the flowers. The flowers make pretty garnishes.

Garam Masala Venison

2013-05-24T20:59:00.000-05:00

Hello all! Garam Masala spice (known as "The Magic Spice") is from northern India and surrounding areas. It's not just a spice, but actually a blend of spices. In Hindi, Garam means "hot" and Masala means "spices." In this context, though, Garam refers to the intensity of spices rather than the heat content. Common spices found in this blend are cinnamon, cloves, black and white cumin seeds, black, brown and green cardamom pods, and both black and white peppercorns. If you want to try something different with wild game, try cooking with Garam Masala. The flavor combination lends itself well with venison. Find it at your local Indian specialty store or online.

This recipe makes a lot of food, so it's perfect for a family meal. With Jen a few time zones away, this fed me all week, which was nice because I didn't have to cook something up every night after coming home late from the gym.

Prep and Cooking Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 lb of venison roast
- 2 cups of uncooked white rice
- 3 1/2 cups of chicken stock
- 1/2 cup of dry white wine
- 1 tsp. of Garam Masala
- 1 1/2 cups of pearl onions
- 2 fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 2 tsp. of Hungarian or sweet paprika
- 1 tbs. of finely chopped rosemary
- 5 cloves of chopped
- 1/2 cup of sliced green onions
- 1 cup of chopped broccoli
- 1 cup of chopped carrots
- salt and pepper, to taste

1. Trim fat and silver skin off roast. Season roast with salt and pepper. Place roast on a medium-hot heated grill and cook for 5 minutes on each side. You’re not looking to completely cook the roast but brown it well on both sides. I added soaked hickory chips to the coals to give it a smoky flavor. After browning the roast, let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Then cut it into 1/2 to 1 inch cubes and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine chicken stock, wine and garam masala and bring to a low simmer, making sure the stock does not evaporate too much.

3. While the above stock is coming to a simmer, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep 12-inch cast iron frying pan until it is almost smoking. Add pearl onions and scallions and cook until soft, stirring frequently. Next, add chopped garlic and continue to stir making sure you do not burn the garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and add tomatoes, paprika and rosemary. Cook for about 2 minutes.

4. Add rice and stir well, mixing all ingredients together, making sure the rice is coated with the olive oil and cook for an additional two minutes.

Then pour the now simmering stock into the frying pan along with carrots and mix well. Cover the pan and simmer on low for approximately 15-20 minutes.

Yum...

5. Add the cubed meat and chopped broccoli to the frying pan. Cover again for about 15 minutes to allow meat to heat up and broccoli to steam without over cooking it. At this point make sure the burner is off. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with chopped green onions as a garnish.

Morel Mushroom, Leek and Shallot Pizza

2013-05-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

It was not until a week ago when I tasted morel mushrooms for the first time. Chef Aaron at Pheasant Bonanza prepared it, and it was delicious, sautéed in butter, rosemary, onions and served with thickly sliced prosciutto. While morel mushroom hunting has been hot in the Omaha area, my friends and I haven't had much success up here in Northeast Nebraska. Fortunately for me, I was in the Lincoln area the following weekend to visit Rick's family and his cousin Tyler gave me a few mushrooms he found on his parents' property.

It was enough for a single serving, a small side with dinner. Having already enjoyed it sautéed in butter, I wanted to try something different, to stretch the four mushrooms I had even further. That's when I thought of pizza, and I'm glad I did because it was amazingly good. You can follow the ingredients and directions here exactly, or make your own variation of this pizza. Whatever you do, try to stick with lighter tasting ingredients. Morel mushrooms are mild; the last thing you want to do is drown out its delicate flavor with something over powering.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4-5 large morel mushrooms
- 1 large shallot, sliced
- 3 tbs. of butter
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, snipped
- a splash of white wine
- 1 leek stalk, sliced and washed thoroughly
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- mozzarella cheese (however much you want)
- parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated (however much you want)
- 2 tbs. of artichoke antipasto spread
- 1 tsp. of chives, chopped
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- thin pizza crust, store bought or homemade

1. Preheat oven according to packaged pizza crust directions. I used Boboli.

Slice the white and light green parts of leeks and wash thoroughly. Leeks tend to accumulate sand between its layers.

Heat 1 tbs. of butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add sliced leeks, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until leeks are tender. Stir occasionally. Be careful not to burn.

2. Brush off any visible dirt on morel mushrooms. DO NOT WASH IN WATER. Cut into bite sized pieces. Mushrooms are like sponges. If you wash them in water, it will ruin the taste and texture.

In a sauté pan, heat 2 tbs. of butter over medium-high heat. Add mushroom to hot butter and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until mushrooms begin to soften. Stir frequently.

Add shallots, thyme and a splash of white wine, stirring frequently. Cook until wine evaporates. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Take off heat and set aside.

3. Slice mozzarella cheese, assuming you bought a block.

Spread artichoke antipasto onto pizza crust. I bought mine from Trader Joe's, but you can use whatever brand or variation you like.

Lay mozzarella slices over the spread, then leeks and morel mushroom-shallot mixture.

Grate parmigiano-reggiano over pizza and cracked pepper, to taste.

Bake according to packaged pizza crust directions or until cheese is fully melted. I like to bake pizza directly on the oven rack to get the crust more crispy.

When pizza is done, grate more parmigiano-reggiano on top. Sprinkle chopped chives over pizza. Enjoy!

Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta with Roasted Kale and Mushrooms (and Fried Pheasant Hearts)

2013-05-09T23:38:00.000-05:00

With fried pheasant hearts.

Without Rick around, it can sometimes be a challenge to get creative with food. Especially when I'm working long hours in the field, the last thing I want to do when I get home is to prepare anything more elaborate than heating up a can of soup. Since the weather was crappy today, I cancelled my plans to go shoot (photograph) Fort Atkinson in Calhoun, and I welcome the break. I have driven hundreds of miles in just the last few days, and the clothes need to be washed and the carpet needs to be vacuumed and the flooring needs a dust pan to grace its tiles. And it's also about time that I start cooking again for Food for Hunters. It feels like it's been a long time. Hope we didn't lose too many of our followers from the inactivity.

This is a warm, comforting dish that will cure all those less than desirable moods. The goat cheese polenta is creamy, satisfying and rich. Mushrooms add a bit of earthiness while the caramelized red onion contributes a touch of sweetness. Kale-- I love kale. I think it complements polenta so well, in color and taste. I also like to roast/bake more kale than I need. Kale chips are amazing!

If you're brave enough, or if you have any pheasant hearts on hand, fry it and add a few pieces to your polenta dish. They sort of taste like dove breasts. The hearts are not required, just something I decided to add just so I can keep myself from calling this dish vegetarian.

Cassidy Gerdes and Bekah Jessen

In case if you're wondering, I am having a fantastic time in Nebraska-- living out my dream as an outdoor photographer and writer. Aside from the cold weather and missing Rick, which occasionally makes me cranky, everything is a-okay. I went turkey hunting for the first time with some girls at work a couple weekends ago and all I had to show for it was a broken shotgun. It's o.k. though, because we all had loads of fun. The good thing about Nebraska is that it doesn't cost residents much to go hunting. If you don't come home with anything, it's not a big deal. The memories are worth a lot more. Jamie Bachmann, Cassidy Gerdes, Bekah Jessen and I thoroughly enjoyed our time hunting and figuring things out by ourselves with no men around. We were so close Sunday morning while sneaking up to some toms, but we made some rookie mistakes, so off those turkeys went! Nonetheless, it was a memorable learning experience, being able to hunt with other women-- who are all well-respected wildlife biologists, by the way.

Jamie Bachmann

Jamie is an outdoor education instructor with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC); she and I are coworkers. Cassidy Gerdes is a Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist with Pheasants Forever and Bekah Jessen is a Coordinating Wildlife Biologist out of Grove Lake with NGPC. These women know their stuff, and I am proud to be able to work with them. Watch out, boys!

To give people an idea of the crazy weather in Nebraska, it was in the 80s the weekend we went hunting. The following Wednesday, Northeast Nebraska got dumped with snow-- all while I was driving out west to Burwell to photograph walleye marking at Game and Park's Calamus Fish Hatchery. The next day, the snow melted, showing no indication that the previous day's freak show ever happened. I am learning the meaning of Nebraska's mantra first hand: "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes." -Jen

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Polenta
- 1/2 cup of yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 tsp. of salt
- 2 ounces of goat cheese
- 1 tbs. of butter
Mushrooms and Onion
- 1 tbs. of olive oil
- 1 tbs. of butter
- half a medium red onion, sliced
- 1 package of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- a splash of Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup of white wine
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Roasted Kale
- half a bunch of kale
- olive oil
- a pinch of salt and pepper

Recipe for Crunchy Fried Pheasant Hearts here: http://www.foodforhunters.blogspot.com/2013/05/crunchy-fried-pheasant-hearts.html

1. Bring 2 1/3 cups of water to a boil. Slowly add cornmeal, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add salt and more water, as needed. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

When polenta is done, stir in butter and goat cheese. Season to taste. Keep warm and set aside.

2. I like to cook the kale while cooking the polenta.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wash kale and dry thoroughly. Remove the stems from leaves. Cut leaves into bite-size pieces. Lay on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to coat. Bake for 15 minutes. Set aside. Be careful with the salt because the kale with shrink considerably.

I used baby bella mushrooms, but you can use whatever you want... just NOT the white button mushrooms because they don't have much flavor to them.

I bet morels would be awesome, too, but I wouldn't know because I haven't had the privilege to taste it yet.

3. Heat 1 tbs. of olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Sauté sliced red onion with a pinch of salt until softened and turning brown, about 5-7 minutes. Stir frequently. Add a couple splashes of worcestershire sauce.

Place cooked onion into a separate bowl. Return pan to heat.

4. Add 1 tbs. of butter to the pan. Add sliced mushroom with a pinch of salt and sauté until cooked, about 5 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup of white wine to the mushrooms. Return the onion back to the pan. Allow wine to reduce and disappear almost completely. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle some polenta in a bowl. Lay the roasted kale on top and then the mushrooms. The kale will be slightly crispy.

If you so choose, you can serve this with our Crunchy Fried Pheasant Hearts.

Enjoy!

Crunchy Fried Pheasant Hearts

2013-05-05T17:55:00.002-05:00

These pheasant hearts came from Pheasant Bonanza in Tekamah, NE. After a photoshoot, hunting guides Trent and Aaron out there let me have the pheasants they shot that day, and one chukar. Curious, I also asked Aaron to save the hearts for me. I always enjoyed eating chicken hearts as a kid. These couldn't be much different.
To my pleasant surprise, these were tasty! Fish fry isn't just for fish, ya know? The lemony flavor in Louisiana's Fish Fry Seasoning Mix complemented the pheasant hearts' slightly organ-y taste. The flavor is similar to dove breasts, at least I thought so. The next time you go pheasant hunting, save the hearts and try this with your favorite sauce-- like hot sauce. You got nothing to lose.

Aaron Schroder

Aaron is also the chef at Pheasant Bonanza's onsite restaurant called the Rooster Lodge, or Roosters. The new restaurant is only open on Thursday and Friday nights. I have made my reservation, and I can't wait! No offense to Nebraskans, but there isn't much good eating up this way-- as far as restaurants go. I'm excited that Roosters is now open for business! -Jen

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-10 minutes
Ingredients:
- pheasant hearts
- Louisiana Fish Fry Seasoned Mix, or your favorite
- egg, beaten
- oil for frying
- your favorite dipping sauce

1. Run cold water over hearts to rinse out as much blood as you can.
2. Remove any white film from the hearts. The last heart on the right in the picture below still has the film on it. Remove any valves sticking out from the hearts. Or you can keep them. I'm not real sure what would happen if you kept them on, probably nothing.
3. Cut hearts in half and run under cold water again. Wash out any black, coagulated blood you see. Dry with paper towels.
3. Lightly beat egg. I have provided no measurements because it all depends on how many hearts you have. This is no different than frying anything else.
4. In a shallow bowl, pour some Louisiana Fish Fry mix. Coat the heart halves in the mix, then dip in egg and coat again with the fish fry mix.
5. Deep fry in vegetable oil. Drain on paper towels and enjoy with your favorite sauce.*

*Be careful not to burn your tongue!

Pheasant, pheasant, pheasant, pheasant, pheasant... chukar! See the size difference?

Mari Mar's Ceviche

2013-04-21T02:31:00.000-05:00

Here's something totally different from Food for Hunters. It comes from our lesser known sibling-- Food for Fish-peoples!

My nephew Jim's wife is from La Paz, Mexico. It is the capital of one of two states that make up the Baja California peninsula-- Baja California Sur. La Paz is located just north of the Tropic of Cancer and is in between the Pacific Ocean and the famed Sea of Cortez, often called the "Fish-trap of the Seas." To say the least, seafood is an important part of the people's diet.

Mari and her daughter.

Ceviche is a tasty dish where seafood, in this case fish, is cooked not via the usual source of heat but by a chemical reaction from the lime juice that is used in this dish. When it is too hot to turn on the oven or stove to cook, people make this spicy and refreshing concoction for a snack or even whole meals.

This is a recipe for a large gathering, so bring together family and friends for some South of the Border goodness. Don't have a big group? Cut the recipe in half! When you are feeling a little "international," give this recipe a try. Enjoy! -Rick

Prep Time: 45 minutes
"Cooking" Time: 2 hours
Servings: many
Ingredients:
- 4 lbs. of white-fleshed fish filets (ex: crappie, walleye, bass, rockfish, Dorado), diced
- one and a half large brown onions, chopped
- 3 jalapeños, chopped
- 2 Serrano chiles, chopped
- 6 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
- 3 to 5 limes (enough to cover fish as stated below)
- 1 tbs. salt
- 1 tbs. pepper
- tortillas or tostada shells for serving (optional)

1. Rinse filets with cold water and pat dry. Remove dark strip (bloodline) from each filet and dice into small chunks. Place in a non-reactive bowl, plastic or glass.

2. Slice limes in half and squeeze enough juice that it barely covers all the fish. The acid in the limes will chemically "cook" the fish. Depending on the size of the diced fish, this will take roughly two hours. Stir occasionally. The fish will look opaque when done.

3. While the fish is "cooking," chop onions and set aside in a separate bowl. Then chop the jalapeños, Serranos and tomatoes. Next, roughly chop the cilantro.

4. Midway through the cooking time, add chopped onion to the fish.

When fish is about done, add the jalapenos, Serranos, cilantro and tomato. Mix well. Add salt and pepper. Allow ingredients to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

5) As a cocktail, serve in cocktail glasses with either crackers or make your own tortilla chips according to our "Nachos Cazadores" recipe. Eat as is or with a dollop of catsup on top. Or as a main dish, serve on tostadas shells. Either way, enjoy it with your favorite cerveza!

Here's Jim lazing around in the afternoon sun. What a life!

Pulled Berry-Chipotle Snow Goose Sandwiches

2013-04-09T18:01:00.000-05:00

I went snow goose hunting for the first time a few weeks ago. My good friend Scott from work, who is a private lands biologist and an avid waterfowl hunter, was kind to take me with him. Scott and I didn't expect to shoot anything when we went out that afternoon. For those who aren't familiar with snow geese, they are surprisingly cunning, so much that they will eat themselves out of house and home if we hunters don't shoot enough of them.

The challenge is that they catch on to just about every trick in the book so darn quickly.

So Scott and I waited, and the afternoon began to grow cold. I sat in my layout blind and listened for Scott's voice from the other blind next to me. He had me looking in all sorts of directions through the crack in the flaps that concealed my head. I saw a lot of birds fly over, but none came close enough to shoot. We called and we called, me with an iPod shuffle attached to speakers and Scott with his traditional goose call. Then, like it was a godsend, a fat, white snow goose descended from its flock. It stretched out its wings and legs to let the wind catch it from underneath, allowing its body to hover, almost freeze in midair right in front of me-- the perfect opportunity for a shot. "Take it!" Scott shouted. I flipped open the covers to my blind, took aim and shot twice. The goose dropped to the ground and I whooped and threw up my hands in victory. It was such a great rush. There's something about shooting a bird in the air that's so exciting and different compared to deer hunting. I can't wait to go duck hunting next season!

This recipe is sort of Scott's idea. He mentioned sticking his goose in grape jelly once, so I looked into it. I found a pulled pork recipe using pomegranate jelly online and built upon it. It was actually pretty good. I'm not much of a goose eater, but the crockpot cooking process got rid of the gamey taste so familiar to many waterfowl species. Similar to BBQ sauce, this recipe follows the same sweet and tangy flavor profile using strawberry-blackberry preserves and many savory spices. I strongly recommend that you make this a day ahead. This allows the flavors to fully develop.

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 hours (prepare one day ahead before serving)
Ingredients:
- legs, thighs and breasts of 1 snow goose
- 3 tbs. of light brown sugar
- 2 tsp. of Hungarian paprika
- 1 tsp. mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 slice of bacon
- 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbs. of tomato paste
- 1/8 cup of fruit jelly or preserves (I used strawberry-blackberry preserves)
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped (more if you're adventurous)
- potato buns or rolls
Cole Slaw:
- 3 cups of shredded cabbage
- 1/2 cup of shredded carrot
- 1/2 cup of Best Foods Olive Oil Mayo
- 1 tsp. of rice vinegar
- 1 tsp. of sugar
- 1 tsp. of Louisiana Hot Sauce, or to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

If you like, you can brine or simply soak the goose in cold water overnight to leech out blood.

1. Remove visible silver skin from breasts. Pat all pieces dry with paper towels. Don't stress over getting all of the silver skin. It will melt in the crock pot anyway.

2. In a small bowl, combine 1 tbs. of brown sugar, the paprika, mustard powder and cumin. Combine well.

Sprinkle ground black pepper and salt all over all legs, thighs and breasts. Then rub the spice mixture over all the pieces.

3. Cook the slice of bacon in a cast iron pan. Remove the bacon. Sear the goose in the bacon grease over medium-high heat until browned on both sides. Do not overcrowd the pan. Do not cook the meat through. All you want is a nice sear on the outside.

Transfer goose to a plate and set aside.

4. Combine 2 cups of water, vinegar, tomato paste and the remaining 2 tbs. of brown sugar in a crock pot. Add the cooked bacon, goose and all its juices.

Make sure the goose is submerged. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until meat is tender.

5. Meanwhile, combine all cole slaw ingredients in a medium bowl. Adjust seasonings, as necessary. If it's too dry, add more mayo. If it's too tart, add more sugar. Too sweet, and more vinegar.

Cover and refrigerate to let flavors marry.

6. Once the goose is tender, remove the pieces from the crock pot and shred the meat with forks. Discard bones. Set aside.

7. Pour the cooking liquids from the crockpot into a saucepan. Add the jelly/preserves and chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce by half, or until thickened into a sauce. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour the sauce into another container for serving, but leave about 1 cup.

Add the shredded meat to the remaining sauce. Add more sauce if it's too dry.

For best results, refrigerate the meat, covered, one day prior to serving. This helps the flavors develop. It's totally worth the wait!

Serve pulled snow goose on potato buns with cole slaw and extra sauce on the side.

Grilled Venison with Buttery Bacon Cream Sauce

2013-03-27T11:25:00.000-05:00

Hello all! I have here today a very simple dish that even guys can make! ... Kidding, guys. Some of our favorite followers are guys that are actually well versed in the kitchen. Chefs, even! Really, I'm not jealous-- I'm not. O.k., just a little.

Anyway, this is a very simple and quick recipe for those days when you want to just whip up something good and fast. Good? How can anything have bacon, butter and half & half in it not be good? And to top it all on a venison steak? Alright, I'm getting hungry again... Well, here it is. Enjoy and share with all your friends. From the field to your table. Bon appetite! - Rick

Servings: 1
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces of venison steak(s)
- 1 tsp. of olive oil
- 3 slices of bacon, chopped (It's more than you need... but hey, who doesn't like to sample bacon while waiting for other ingredients to cook?)
- 1 tbs. of butter
- 4 shallots
- 1/4 cup of half & half
- 2 stalks of green onion, finely chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste

1. Trim steaks of all silver skin. Lightly salt, rub with olive oil and place on a pre-heated grill. Cook until medium-rare, but no longer than that.

Keep warm on heated plates and cover with foil.

2. In a small saucepan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Pour out bacon fat but DO NOT wipe the saucepan.

Add butter and shallots, and cook until shallots are soft, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in half & half and simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Pour sauce over steaks and sprinkle with bacon. Garnish with freshly chopped green onion. Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy!

Sandhill Cranes

2013-03-25T18:44:00.000-05:00

Check out my blog post on the sandhill crane migration on Outdoor Nebraska: http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/2013/03/midland-musings-jenny-nguyen-sandhill-cranes/

Norfolk Daily News: Bacon Comment

2013-03-24T00:04:00.000-05:00

If you haven't already heard on Facebook or Twitter, I made the front page of the Norfolk Daily News last Friday. Yay!

For those visiting this website because of the story, I'd like to welcome you all to FoodForHunters.com. Rick and I hope that you will find our blog useful and interesting. I also have to clear up something-- I told the writer during my interview that Rick and I created this blog to show people "how to cook wild game without using bacon." Obviously, that's not true-- because I used bacon in the last recipe I made: Pheasant Tortilla Soup. When I say "without bacon," I mostly say it tongue-in-cheek, but there is some truth to it.

When we started this blog, Rick and I made a conscience decision to try to stay away from old, tried and true wild game recipes. Heck yes! Wrapping anything in bacon would taste good. But everyone does it and knows about it. Why blog about it then? When I said "without using bacon," I meant that bacon is used sparingly. Typically, we use it for a specific purpose, to add fat or richness to a dish, to try to keep certain cuts moist during a cooking process that might dry them out, or to use bacon in alternative ways, like incorporating it into a sauce-- which you will see in Rick's next recipe. That's what I meant. I'm not trying to knock bacon in any way, or to say that we're too snooty for it. This blog exists for the simple purpose of providing fine folks, like yourselves, new ways to prepare and enjoy wild game.

Bacon is good. Bacon is heavenly. Bacon is our friend.

You can read the story here: http://www.norfolkdailynews.com/mobile_feature/lifelong-love-of-outdoors-lures-california-woman/article_98e2c93e-9300-11e2-93ed-001a4bcf6878.html

Pheasant Tortilla Soup

2013-03-21T10:58:00.001-05:00

I am a Chicken Tortilla Soup eating fiend, and this is a recipe that I've always wanted to make with pheasant. If there's chicken tortilla soup on the menu, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will order it. This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite restaurants in California called Island Burgers. Yes-- I'm one of those weird people who will go to a burger joint just to order soup. Trust me. It's THAT good! No one makes chicken tortilla soup as good as they do, which is ironic because there's nothing Mexican about the restaurant... it's Hawaiian themed. Anyway, I am thrilled to be able to share this recipe with you using pheasant, one of my favorite wild game meats. It may take a bit of time to make, but it's well worth the wait.

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: about 3 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 whole pheasant, skin off
- 4-5 strips of bacon
- 10 cups of water
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 cup of diced corn tortillas
- juice of 1 lime
- kosher salt, to taste
- 1 tsp. of chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. of paprika
- a pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 tbs. of fresh cilantro, minced

Tortilla Strips:
- 2 cups of vegetable oil
- 6 6-inch yellow corn tortillas
- chili powder, to taste
- paprika, to taste
- cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tsp. of salt

Garnish:
- shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 avocados, diced

Before you serve this soup to guests, make sure you apologize beforehand for any stray feathers that might be found in the soup. As hard as I tried to get as every bit off the bird as I could before cooking, I simply couldn't.

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Line a baking dish with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Lay 4-5 pieces of bacon side by side in the baking dish. I used the 5th piece later to fill in the gaps as the bacon shrank during cooking.

Lay pheasant on top of the bacon and wrap the bacon around the bird as best as you can. The bacon's sole purpose is to keep the bird from drying out in the cooking process. It will not be included in the soup.

2. Roast the pheasant in the oven at 500 degrees F for 15 minutes. Then remove the bird from the oven and lower heat to 350 degrees F. Return the bird and continue roasting for 40-45 minutes, or until fairly cooked through. Don't worry if it's still a little red inside because the pheasant will continue to cook in the soup.

Tip: While the pheasant is roasting in the oven, start chopping up the veggies. I always try to do a couple things at once in the kitchen to save time.

3. When the pheasant is cool enough to handle, remove the bacon strips. Pick off as much meat as you can. DO NOT DISCARD THE BONES. I suggest keeping the leg meat on the bird, since it will most likely be tough. At this point, you can snack on the bacon or save it for later to chop up in stir fries or whatever you want.

4. In a big pot, simmer pheasant carcass in 10 cups of water for 30-45 minutes.

Next, remove and discard any visible fat from the meat. It's not needed in the soup.

Shred with meat with forks and set aside.

5. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbs. of the pheasant and bacon drippings over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, garlic, peppers, carrot and a pinch of salt for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

6. After 30-45 minutes of simmering, remove and discard the pheasant bones.

Add sautéed veggies, diced tortilla, lime juice, shredded pheasant meat, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. Cover and simmer soup for 1 hour.

Add chopped cilantro 30 minutes in.

7. Cut 6 yellow corn tortillas into thin strips. Heat 2 cups of oil in a medium sauce pan. (Oil is hot enough when test strip bubbles rapidly.) Fry strips in batches until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Toss in cayenne, paprika, chili powder and salt, to taste.

Once the soup is done, taste to adjust seasonings.

8. Ladle soup into serving bowls. Garnish with diced avocados, shredded Monterey Jack cheese and fried tortilla strips.

Then slurp it all up!

Trout Stocking in East Branch Verdigre Creek

2013-03-10T03:19:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to share this cool photo I took last week of a beautiful rainbow trout being released into the East Branch of Verdigre Creek in Northeast Nebraska for stocking. A total of 200 were released that day. Stocking takes place once a week, all year long. To read the rest of my blog post, please visit the link below.

Blog link: http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/2013/03/midland-musings-jenny-nguyen-trout-stocking/

Pheasant Wraps with Quinoa and Cilantro-Lemon Aioli

2013-03-04T21:00:00.000-06:00

Now every time I use cilantro, I think of Rick's cousin Chris. She absolutely hates cilantro. So Chris, I guess this recipe isn't for you. Sorry! Although, it's not really her fault. Cilantro haters are actually genetically predisposed. They have a certain gene that makes cilantro tastes soapy or bitter. It's too bad because cilantro is a must in all sorts of Latin American and Asian cuisines-- not to rub it in. It serves as a refreshing, bright addition to many dishes.

I have extra reason to be happy about this recipe because it's pheasant! I have been wondering how to get just one pheasant for myself, and I ended up with six! During a photoshoot at Pheasants Bonanza in Tekamah, NE, the guides gave me all the birds they shot that day.

I came home with a total of six pheasants and one chukar. The club's chef, who was also a guide, taught me how to properly clean the birds-- something I've never done before. It was an awesome day.

This recipe allows for a lot of variation. You can use quinoa, but couscous is also delicious as well. Cook quinoa plain or add your favorite veggies on hand. It's a light, refreshing dish, perfect for lunch or maybe even party appetizers.

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 pheasant breasts, cut into strips
- 1 1/2 cups of panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, beaten
- salt, to taste
- cayenne pepper, to taste
- vegetable oil, for frying
- butter lettuce
Quinoa
- 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa
- 1 tsp. of olive oil
- 1/4 cup of diced onion
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 cup of chicken stock
- 1/4 cup of tomatoes, diced
- grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
Sauce
- 1/3 cup of mayo
- 1/4 tsp. of lemon juice
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/8 tsp. of Hungarian paprika, or regular
- cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tsp. of cilantro, minced

1. Heat 1 tsp. of olive oil in a medium saucepan. Cook chopped onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Combine 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa and 1 cup of chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. Cook covered according to package directions or until all liquids are absorbed. Once cooked, mix in tomatoes, chopped green onion and Parmesan cheese. Adjust seasonings and allow to cool. You can do this in advance, too.

2. In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients. Set aside.

3. Cut pheasant breasts into strips against the grain. Season with salt and cayenne pepper, to taste.

4. Place panko, flour and beaten egg in separate dishes/bowls.

Dredge pheasant strips in flour, egg, breadcrumbs, egg and then breadcrumbs again.

5. Heat 1/2 inches of vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan. Fry pheasant strips in batches, about 1 minute each side or until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pan.

Drain on paper towels.

6. Spread some quinoa onto each butter lettuce. Lay fried pheasant on top and drizzle with the cilantro-lemon aioli.

Enjoy!

Venison Piccata

2013-02-23T22:08:00.001-06:00

This is a dish that gives venison a slightly different flavor-- a lemony one. For those not too sure about this combination, you can add or subtract the amount of acidity to your own taste. Either way, it will delight your tastebuds and may become a new favorite.

FYI, the venison will spend some time soaking in milk. This is a way of leeching blood from the meat, helping to lighten the flavor, especially for those who think venison tastes too strong or have a tendency of not wanting to eat it. If you have a young deer or doe, you will not have to do this long. The verdict, this Venison Picatta dish was wonderfully tender and had a light taste. Serve this with brown rice and your favorite veggies for a healthy, satisfying meal. -Rick

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 2-4 hours
Cooking Time: 8-10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. of venison roast
- 2 cups of milk, divided
- 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. of salt
- 1/2 tsp. of freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 cup fo butter or margarine
- 3/4 cup of dry white wine, like Chardonnay
- 1 to 2 tbs. of fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup of chopped parsley
- 1 to 2 tbs. of capers, drained

1. Trim roast of any fat or silverskin and then slice venison across grain into ¼ inch slices and pat dry. When slicing, this can be better accomplished with the roast partially frozen. Lay sliced meat in a shallow non-metal dish. Keeping meat fairly close to each other, pour 1 cup of milk over the sliced meat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-3 hours, depending on the age/sex of the deer. Longer for an older buck and shorter for a young deer or doe. When ready, drain and discard milk from the meat and then add another 1 cup of milk and cover. This time, leave the meat out at room temperature for 1 hour. Drain and discard milk and pat the venison dry with paper towels.

2. In a bowl, mix flour, salt and pepper and spread this mixture onto a large plate. Coat venison steaks in flour mixture.

3. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add venison slices and brown for 2-3 minutes on each side. (Remember not to overdo it because the venison will cook quickly being so thinly sliced.)

Add wine and let it cook for an additional 2 minutes.

4. Remove venison slices to a warm plate. I like to place it in a warm oven. Key word here is warm. You do not want to continue cooking the venison. Add lemon, parsley and capers to the remaining wine in the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, scraping the bottom and sides of the skillet for 2 minutes. Reduce the sauce slightly to thicken.

5. Place venison steaks on plates and pour sauce over venison. Serve with your favorite veggies. Enjoy!

How Does Wild Game Stack Up?

2013-02-19T02:26:00.000-06:00

Here's an interesting chart Rick made on the nutrition content of wild game and domestic meats.

See? It pays to hunt.

Venison Neck Irish Stew

2013-02-12T00:29:00.002-06:00

In past years, neck meat was always thrown into the hamburger pile. With the deer Rick shot last November, we wondered how it would taste when left whole and braised. Filleting both sides, we got a total of two pieces from the neck. If we had had the right equipment, we might've just cut out the entire neck, bone and all. But we didn't.

When I thawed out one of the pieces last week, I was a tiny bit apprehensive. Looking at it, there seemed to be so much silver skin and fat running through the muscles. There was no way that I could trim and clean it all without disfiguring the entire cut. I wasn't worried about the silver skin so much as the fat. Silver skin tends to melt away during long, slow periods of cooking, but any deer fat left over can give your venison a bit of an "off" taste. Some call it "gamey." So, I cleaned and trimmed as best as I could and prayed that the braising process would do the rest.

After a few hours of being in the oven, I found the neck to be unbelievably tender and moist. Because of the little bit of unavoidable fat left on the neck, I will say that this dish does have a stronger taste compared to more ideal cuts like tenderloin. However, it was a taste that I appreciated. For those used to eating game, you will love this dish for its distinct, robust flavors and bold presentation. It was probably the most tender braise I have ever done with venison. I was quite proud of myself. All-in-all, this is an easy dish with an Irish flair; traditionally, Irish Stew is made with lamb or mutton. It requires few ingredients and will feed a house full of hungry hunters, huntresses and hunt-munchkins. Please enjoy! -Jen

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 1/2 hours
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour (I like to use white whole wheat flour)
- 3 lbs. of venison neck, silver skin and fat removed
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 4 red potatoes and 4 baby yukon potatoes, halved
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 3 1/2 cups of hot beef stock
- 2 tbs. of chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Clean venison neck. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Dredge well in flour.

2. Lay the venison flat in a baking/casserole dish.

Next, layer onion on top...

Then carrots and potatoes.

3. Sprinkle in the thyme and pour in hot beef stock.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 325 F oven for 2 1/2 hours.

Shred venison neck into serving size pieces. I like to keep them sort of big so guests can continue shredding themselves. Garnish with parsley. Add more salt and pepper, to taste. Feed to hungry carnivores.

This is a stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal.

If you're interested in following my Nebraska adventures, please check out these past blog posts at http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/

"Midland Musings with Jenny Nguyen - Treasures From the Past:" http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/2013/02/midland-musings-jenny-nguyen-treasures-genoa/

"Midland Musings with Jenny Nguyen - A Change of Environment:" http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/2013/02/45860/

Enchiladas Pescadores

2013-02-08T00:01:00.000-06:00

Hello all! "Bienvenido a mi cocina!" Today, I have a recipe for fish enchiladas, or as I like to call 'em Enchiladas Pescadores! This is not your regular red sauced enchilada commonly found in average Mexican restaurants. I wanted to stay away from using any red sauce, as it can overpower the delicate taste of fish. Any light, mild tasting fish like walleye, crappie or catfish will do; I used crappie. I like to serve this with our own Spanish Rice, refried beans and Waka-Guacomole. I made the chips as we did in our "Nachos Cazadores" recipe. These side dish recipes can be found here on our website. Check out the "Recipes" tab or click on the above links. I like to wash this dish down with my favorite Mexican beer. Enjoy!

Servings: 2-3, 6 enchiladas total
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 crappie filets
- 1/2 cups of flour
- 1/2 cup of cornmeal
- 1 tsp. of chili powder
- 1 cup of cilantro, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tsp. of garlic powder
- 1 Serrano chili, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 egg
- 1/8 tsp. of cracked black pepper
- tortillas
- salsa
- vegetable oil

1. Rinse crappie filets and pat dry. Set aside.

Combine flour, corn meal, chili powder and pepper in a small bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, beat the egg.

2. Heat oil in a fry pan. Coat each filet in egg, then dip into flour mixture to coat both sides. Shake off excess flour. Lightly fry each filet for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

Drain on paper towels. Place in a 170 degree F oven to keep warm.

3. In a separate fry pan or wok, heat 2 tbs. of vegetable oil. Lightly fry a tortilla to soften, not to crisp. Place heated tortilla in a 9 inch baking dish. Crumble a filet of fish onto the tortilla and then sprinkle a fair amount of chopped cilantro and onion. Roll tortilla tightly and place on the far side of the baking dish.

Repeat until you've used up all the fish. Rolled tortillas should sit neatly in a single layer and not on top of one other.

4. Top the enchiladas with as much cheese as you like. I like to use quite a bit. Sprinkle more chopped onions and cilantro over the cheese (this is where I like to add the finely chopped Serrano) and place in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until cheese is melted and turned a golden brown.

5. Serve enchiladas with refried beans, Spanish rice, guacamole and homemade tortilla chips. I also like to place some salsa on top of the enchiladas for a little extra "zip."

French's Crunchy Onion Venison Steaks

2013-01-29T11:25:00.001-06:00

We send a million thanks to Ashley Kosack of South Florida. She sent us this recipe not too long ago, and it was delicious! Ashley said, " I'm not the type to give my secrets away, but this one is so good that I want everyone to try it! My husband and I are avid hunters and we usually fill our freezers. So the only thing we eat is wild game. I'm constantly making new recipes. This one is easy and goes great with venison backstrap, which for my husband is like gold." Ashley likes to marinate her venison steaks in Italian or herb dressing, but we opted to dust our steaks with a light coating of Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning. The beauty of this dish is that you can season your meat any way you like.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 20 oz. of venison backstraps
- 1 package of ranch seasoning dry mix (or favorite dressing)
- 2 cups of French's Original Fried Onions
- 2 tbs. all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut tenderloins into desired sized pieces for each person. Lightly coat each with ranch seasoning dry mix. Don't overdo it. It's very salty. You may not even use the entire package. If using a wet marinade, let it sit for at least 30 minutes.

2. In a ziplock bag, combine 2 cups of French's Fried Onion and 2 tbs. of flour. Crush with hands or rolling pin.

3. Dip meat into egg, then coat with onion crumbs. Press crumbs down so they stick.

Place venison on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. 10 minutes for medium-rare.

Enjoy with your favorite sides. Yum!! Thanks, Ashley, for a wonderful recipe!
Got a recipe you want us to try? Send us an email at foodforhunters@gmail.com Please note that we are limited to the wild game that's available to us. You can also choose to photograph the recipe yourself. If you do, please send a well composed, clear photo and the recipe. No phone photos, please!

About Ashley Cosack

I was born and raised in South Florida. Grew up in the outdoors with my dad; I was the son he never had. I used to do everything with him, from fishing, to working on trucks and heavy machinery. When I was about 16, we started duck hunting together. Then I met my husband who I married this past November. He introduced me to archery and really started my passion for the outdoors. We live to hunt, and hunt to live. We do everything in the outdoors together. I'm proud to say that I'm a hunter's wife, as I'm sure he's proud to say that he's a huntress's husband! Haha.

This photo of us was from 2010 when I harvested my first deer, a big South Florida public land 8 point. He was so proud of me, and of course, I was extremely proud of myself. It took a lot of hard work and years of scouting in the same WMA, but well worth it! I was also pregnant with our first daughter here, and the hunt happened right before we found out. Our daughter has definitely proven that she's an outdoor girl for sure. She'll be two in July and loves hunting and fishing with us every chance she gets!

Venison Amchur

2013-01-24T15:33:00.001-06:00

Hello all! Rick here for this week's recipe. First, I'd like to say "thank you" for your patience in getting Jen's move completed, and for both of us to get settled into our new (but temporary) lives apart from each other. Still can't get used to not having her next to me...

This week's recipe has me returning to India for a dish that bursts with flavor. As many of you may know, Indian food is never known for being dull or boring. Sometimes, it can be quite strong. Other times, it may set your mouth on fire. But don't worry. I found a dish that tastes just right. Here, we have a dish I call Venison Amchur. "Amchur" being the dried mango powder that goes into it.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20-25 minutes
Cook Time: 35-45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. of venison roast, cleaned and cubed into 3/4 inch squares
- 3 medium onions
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, plus 1 tsp.
- 1 tsp. of finely chopped fresh ginger
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp. of chili powder
- 1 pinch of ground turmeric
- 1 tsp. of salt
- 1 Serrano chili, seeded and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups of water
- 1 1/2 tsp. of amchur (mango) powder
- 1 cup of chopped cilantro

- cooked white rice, for serving

1. With a sharp knife, finely chop 2 onions. Over medium heat, heat 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in a skillet. Add the chopped onion and cook until golden brown, being sure not to char.

2. Reduce heat, then add ginger, garlic, chili powder, turmeric and salt. Stir-fry this mixture for about 3-5 minutes. Next, add 2/3 of the chopped Serrano chile.

Chef's Note: 1 Serrano will give this dish a little zing. If you want to turn up the heat, chop 2 Serranos.

3. Return heat to medium. Add the cubed venison. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, being careful not to overcook the venison.

4. Add water, then cover and cook over low heat for 35-45 minutes, making sure to stir occasionally to avoid burning. Keep the fire very low to keep venison from toughening up. Also, keep a watch on the water level. You want it to slowly reduce, but not so much that it burns the dish.

5. While meat simmers, thinly slice the remaining onion. Add 1 tsp. of vegetable oil to a small skillet and cook until soft and golden. Then set aside.

After 35-45 minutes, add the remaining third of the chopped Serrano, amchur powder and chopped cilantro to the venison. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, allowing all ingredients to blend together.

6. Pour mixture over hot white rice. Spoon sautéd onion over the venison. Add a sprig of cilantro for color. And enjoy!

Pan Seared Venison Tenderloin with Bourbon Reduction Sauce

2013-01-17T19:07:00.000-06:00

Served with Wild Rice and Pinon Nut Confit on Cheese Polenta

Guest Recipe and Photo by Neal Zeller

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 lb of venison tenderloin

- 1 cup raw wild rice

- 2 tbs. of chopped dates or raisins

- 1 egg

- 1/2 cup raw pinon nuts

- 1 cup of yellow corn grits - polenta

- 4 cups chicken stock

- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

- 1/2 cup bourbon

- 1/2 cup venison, elk or beef stock

- 1 whole shallot

- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic

- 1/2 cup of dried mushrooms, Chantarelle or other favorite non-lethal fungi
- olive oil
- 1 tbs. of unsalted butter
- sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper

Directions:

1.Venison tenderloin is such a rare treat that I don't try to amend the flavor with a lot of marinades or rubs. Pat the tenderloin dry and lightly coat the tenderloin with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. That's it. Allow the tenderloin to come to room temperature.

2. Wash wild rice thoroughly. Bring rice and 2 cups of chicken stock to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer; cook about 40 - 45 minutes. Fully cooked wild rice still has some "tooth" to it. It won't be as soft as white or brown rice. Drain any excess stock from rice. Remove from heat and keep warm.

3. Lightly coat pinon nuts with olive oil and saute over medium heat until lightly golden brown. Pinons burn easily, so keep your eye on 'em. Remove from heat and keep warm, reserving a few of the best looking ones for garnish.

4. Peel and slice shallots thinly. Separate into rings. Next, peel and chop garlic finely. Coat the bottom of a heavy bottom pan with olive oil and saute the shallot until tender and slightly translucent. Add chopped garlic and continue to saute until garlic lightly browns. Add mushrooms and saute for about 3 minutes.

5. Carefully add the bourbon to saute pan. It's best to remove the pan from the heat, then pour in the bourbon. Return the pan to the heat. If you think you have the chops for it, tilt the pan slightly away from you to ignite the bourbon and burn off the alcohol. Yes, it's tres dramitique, and really dangerous if you mess it up. Much of the drama will be lost on your guests if you set your kitchen on fire. Otherwise, the non-flambe method will evaporate the alcohol rather quickly anyway.

6. Add the venison, elk or beef stock. If using commercial beef stock, use one with low or no sodium. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to reduce sauce. For this prep, I strained the sauce for a classier plating. After about 20 minutes, strain the sauce, reserving the liquid. Everything else gets tossed on the compost heap or frozen for soup or something else later. Put strained sauce back into a clean pan and continue to reduce the sauce to your desired consistency. Keep warm and just before plating, whisk in the unsalted butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Bring the other 2 cups of chicken stock to a boil and add the grits. Return to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly. When the grits have absorbed all the stock and are slightly thickened, add grated Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and keep warm.

8. Beat the egg thoroughly in a bowl. Add cooked wild rice, pinons, chopped dates or raisins and mix. Place confit mixture in a small, buttered pastry mold of your choice or an old tuna can with the label and both ends removed. Works like a charm. Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until confit has set. Remove from oven and keep warm.

9. Heat a little olive oil in a cast iron pan or heavy skillet to medium high. The oil should just start to smoke. Place the room temperature tenderloin in the hot pan and sear all sides, but turning it only once to sear each side. Reduce heat to medium and after about 6 - 8 minutes, start taking readings with a good meat thermometer. I can't say enough good things about meat thermometers. We're looking for an internal temperature of about 115 - 120 degrees. You want this exquisite roast cooked rare. When the temperature has been reached, immediately remove the roast to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes. The internal temperature will rise slightly to about 125 degrees.

10. On warm plates, place rice, pinon confit and some cheese polenta around the confit. Slice the rested tenderloin in thick slices and stand them against the confit. spoon the bourbon reduction sauce at the base of the roast and garnish with a few pinons.

First Day of Work

2013-01-14T23:48:00.003-06:00

I'm pleased to report that my first day of work went very well today! After a bittersweet farewell to Rick in Omaha, I made my way down to Lincoln yesterday. I am spending a week down here for training at the main Nebraska Game and Park Commission office in town. I guess everyone was expecting my arrival or something because they all knew my name before I even offered my hand to shake! Everyone was super cool. I just love Nebraskans. I already feel like I'm at home. Although I hate the weather as much as I thought I would-- it was flippin' 5 degrees this morning!-- I'm very excited for all the things I will learn in the next few years.

http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/?p=44642&preview=true

I am pretty sure I can nail the photography and writing portion of the job, but the public aspect will be a challenging learning experience. It's the most scary part of my job description, actually... just being able to gain the confidence to speak to people of all walks of life, ages and expertise, and being able to communicate and promote an excitement for the outdoors to the public-- and not sound like a total idiot. Just coming out of college, that is not a skill that I have yet perfected. I'm still very much the green, wide-eyed kid who left home for the first time for college not too long ago. I guess that's a skill that comes with time and experience.I will not only have to learn to put myself out there more, but to also be patient with myself. This is a huge opportunity for me to grow as a writer, photographer, outdoors-woman and all-around person. I'm very grateful and excited.

To read the rest of the article above, please click here:http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/?p=44642&preview=true

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Anyway, you may be wondering when the heck we will post up another recipe. Well, be patient. Driving cross country in 3 days, unloading in 1, and starting work 3 days later is no joke. Rick and I are still trying to get back into the rhythm of things... and it's hard especially now because we're apart. But please check back for updates. Hopefully, there will be a recipe soon. We thank you for your patience!

Road to Nebraska: Day 2

2013-01-10T20:55:00.001-06:00

Remember last night when I said that Grandpa's Grill in New Mexico was good? Well, scratch that! Grandpa's Grill left a lasting impression on me... and it wasn't cute.

Anyway, after an eventful night in Gallup, Rick and I headed out this morning for Oklahoma City. Neither of us got a good night's sleep.

We left at 6:00 AM this morning. It was 16 degrees. Frost covered my little Honda Civic.

As we left, the sky became alive in front of us. The sunrise was quite beautiful. It's amazing to see so much sky. Not a sight I'm used to after having lived in Southern California.

Thirty miles west of Santa Rosa, New Mexico, the road was as straight as could be. It seemed to go on forever and forever, as far as the eye could see.

After what seemed like an extremely long time, we finally broke into Texas.

At around 1 PM, Rick and I stopped into Amarillo for a bite to eat. Cracker Barrel is one of our favorites!

I had a delicious beef stew and my two favorite sides in the world, fried okra and turnip greens. YUM!

Rick ordered more than he could eat... a whole plate of turkey and dressing!

After lunch, we dreaded having to get back on the road. We were only halfway to Oklahoma City. I figured we wouldn't reach our destination until 7.

After what seemed like an eternity, we finally spotted the Oklahoma state line sign. But we knew we still had to drive another 230 or so miles, and we were losing daylight fast.

The further into Oklahoma we went, the sky became thicker and darker. The road seemed wet. Looked like the rain beat us to it.

At 7 PM, Rick and I finally pulled up to our hotel. 13 hours on the road... what a butt numbing experience!

Now we sleep, to finish the last leg of our trip. Onto Nebraska!

(These photos were taken off my phone. We will post better pictures from my camera later.)

Road to Nebraska: Day 1

2013-01-09T22:04:00.002-06:00

After an entire week of tears and goodbyes, Rick and I finally hit the road to move me to Nebraska. The hardest part about today, or this whole thing really, was saying goodbye to my folks. I've been dreading it. My mother doesn't usually cry for anything, but I saw her cry today. And also my dad. Saying goodbye to my best friends, who I've known pretty much all my life was also heart wrenching. I left the place where I grew up a little shaken, but now I must put that past me. I turn my eyes toward the eastern horizon. (Photos taken with my iPhone.)

After leaving my parents for a final farewell, I began my journey out of Southern California and into Arizona.

It's been awhile since I've been on the road at this hour, 5 AM. On the other side, headlights and tail lights almost touched. Thousands of people were headed the opposite way, to start their day back where I just left. It was a sight that I won't be seeing very often anymore, I thought.

When the sun peeped over the horizon, we were already in the desert, up by Barstow.

And what a desert sunrise it was!

We passed the Mojave desert not long after. I am always amazed by its vastness and beauty.

We arrived at the border of Arizona at exactly 9 AM.

Rick and I traveled through its northern lands, where elk country opened up before our eyes. Snow covered mountains dotted and lined the landscape.

We entered the Kaibab National Forest, where Rick saw a dead cow elk on the side of the road. What a terrible waste of good meat...

I had never experienced Arizona this way before. It wasn't like the hot, dry desert that I only knew and heard about before. Snow was everywhere, but at least the roads were perfectly clear.

In Flagstaff, Rick and I stopped by a pizza joint called Fratelli's for lunch, as suggested by a follower on Twitter. The pizza was very good!

By this time, Rick and I were dead tired. The New Mexican border seemed so far away. But at around 4 PM, we finally wheeled on in.

We had a pretty good dinner at a place called Grandpa's Grill in Gallup. Rick had pork chops with beans and rice.

I had a turkey burger with a salad, which isn't worth posting up.

Now, it's time for bed. Another long day tomorrow. Another 10 hour drive. Onward, Oklahoma City!