Smoked meats always remind me of Autumn and I’ve created a twist by using brined game birds and I add them to the smoker… with hay!! French farmers use hay for not only feeding their livestock, but also to cook with. And to make it even more special, I steeped cream in a handful of hay to create a yummy mustard cream sauce. Grab a glass of white wine, a lap blanket and dine outdoors and enjoy all … [Read more...]
Halibut and Spanish Chorizo are a classic duo! This is an easy summer time dish that really doesn't need a recipe, since all the ingredients are just cooked and plated together. I made a nice pot of snowcap beans I bought through https://elegantbeans.com They have a wonderful selection of dried beans and they taste amazing. I simmered them along with 2 bay leaves, thyme sprigs and … [Read more...]
On any animals, the legs, shanks, and shoulders have the worst reputation for being tough, stringy, chewy, full of tendons and basically, only thought of as usable for grind or the soup pot. But when cooked properly, these cuts can be transformed into a flavorful showstopper! My favorite way is to use a low and slow method of OVEN BRAISING these cuts. The work is minimal, and … [Read more...]
It’s amazing the amount of preparation that goes into one day a year! As early as summer, folks are scanning airline websites searching for the best deal for Thanksgiving flights. It’s the eternal challenge: What is the cheapest flight with the least amount of stops, in the early morning one can take from the West coast to the East coast? And if you’re anything like my sisters, you’d begin working … [Read more...]
Normally I tend to plan far ahead for Thanksgiving, but for this particular Thanksgiving tablescape in 2013, I didn't have a ton of time to get it together, so I decided not too sweat over it and kept it very subdued. I figure the Pilgrims didn't worry themselves with too much fancy dinnerware and besides, and when it comes down to it, it's all about the food anyway. I pulled out everything I had … [Read more...]
Every year around November I look forward to the first box of Panettone to hit the shelves in my local grocery store, or Homegoods. This Italian treat lends itself to sweet or savory dishes. The tart candied citron and raisins are sweetened by the sugary bread. It's buttery and makes great croutons, bread pudding, or slathered with warm brie cheese and orange marmalade for a … [Read more...]
Salt Baked Wild Whole Wild Caught Striper with Orange Meyer Lemon Hollandaise Creating a “salt oven” is so easy and bakes/steams the fish to create one of the most flavorful, moist pieces of fish I’ve ever created… and the best part, “it’s so simple!” Start by seasoning the fish with black pepper and herbs of your choice (I used thyme). Then stuff with your choice of fruit slices, onions or … [Read more...]
Rabbit eats hay… rabbit smoked in hay. It sounds strange, I know, but go with me on this. Smoking rabbit, game birds, and fish in hay isn’t crazy. When you think about it, smoking meats in hay is just like using any other smoking medium. But the difference is in the flavor. Meats smoked in hay give off an herbal, wheat quality. It’s far more subtle and sweet than meats smoked in hickory or … [Read more...]
The holidays are just around the corner, so call me to save a spot on my calendar for your holiday dinner or party today!!!Posted by Cookin Wild on Tuesday, October 13, 2015 … [Read more...]
CORN!!! I love corn everything! So I created this tablescape to go along with a corn themed menu. Each dish incorporated corn in some way. Corn is a great starch because it lends itself to savory and sweet flavors. I figured roosters eat corn so I used them as my jumping off point, as well as the color of corn, "yellow." Blue is another color that works so well with yellow … [Read more...]
Hey HHSC friends! Check us out on Yummly.com. I'll be uploading recipes there and you can use Yummly to search our recipes and create your own recipe book. There are thousands of recipes submitted from people all over the globe. When a recipe is uploaded on our site, you will see a small "yum" button and all you need to do is click on it and you'll be sent to Yummly. … [Read more...]
As part of my personal chef business "Cookin Wild", clients often ask me to create table designs, or "tablescapes" to coincide with menus they want. I have a fetish for dinnerware, table linens, and center pieces and I have a whole storage unit devoted to my obsession!! I create the design and menu items ahead of time, to catalog them for clients. It helps them visualize my concept. … [Read more...]
Decadence without breaking the budget! These venison loin medallions are topped with a black truffle foie gras pate and served with potatoes, glazed carrots and trumpet mushrooms. It's so incredibly easy and your guests will think you've slaved for hours in the kitchen but it only took minutes to transform the venison medallions into a dish worthy of a four star restaurant. Black truffles and foie … [Read more...]
ROASTED VENISON STOCK Here in the He Hunts She Cooks kitchen, we like to employ “nose to tail” concept. Utilizing as much of the animal as possible, keeps waste to a minimum and creates some awesome dishes! Chefs love those often discarded bits such as offal (organ meats), tail, bones, cheeks, and hooves, for the proteins that are extracted during the cooking process. These proteins such … [Read more...]
Click on the image to the right to watch Bobbie Jo's video on canning venison! PRESSURE CANNING WILD GAME Late each Summer there is always that one day when I can point to and notice a slight change which signals Autumn is coming. The breeze is a bit cooler, and almost overnight the leaves begin to lose that summer green tint. That familiar spicy smell from … [Read more...]
Tender little potato dumplings are covered in a rich meaty bolognese! I've been working on my gnocchi recipe for years, and each time they get better. With just three ingredients, this recipe is more about technique than ingredient driven. Give this recipe a try. The key to fluffy light gnocchi is using the right potatoes and cooking them to be dry, so the gnocchi stay light. … [Read more...]
Chunky scraps of wild game gently braised in tomatoes and milk create a fabulous sauce for homemade gnocchi. For years I've been working on my jinx of all recipes... gnocchi. You'd think something with just three ingredients can't be tough to do, but I'll tell you, gnocchi is more about technique than ingredient driven. Each time I make gnocchi, I feel myself getting closer to that … [Read more...]
I'm so excited to begin my food blog. It's been a dream of mine for quite some time, to share my thoughts with all of you and maybe teach you how to create some amazing moments with family and friends over a delicious meal! My writing skills might not win me an Academy Award for Best Screenwriter, but that's okay, because I'm speaking from the heart, and that's so fulfilling. So here goes: When … [Read more...]
Growing up in Central PA with a Pennsylvania Dutch Grand-mother whose family name was Yingling, and a Mother who made lots of inventions with second day dinners, we have a dish using leftover ham and homemade noodles my Mom always referred to as "Popeye." From what I gather, the original PA Dutch name is "botboi" or pot pie. How it came to be re-named "popeye" in my family is a mystery, and quite … [Read more...]
I created this lighthearted, inexpensive tablescape to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I mixed green and gold items found at our local Dollar Tree, Homegoods, and Michaels. With spray painted branches anchored above the ceiling with monofilament, it works perfectly as an inexpensive "chandelier" with crystals, four leaf clover garland, and a few glitter ornaments. At Homegoods, I Found this … [Read more...]
Since we are "wild" about each other and feasting on wild game, I created this fun, wild inspired Valentine's Day tablescape and tree! I'm not a big fan of shopping before Christmas, but the day after is great because you can score Christmas trees for 75% off. I purchased this 6ft. white tree for about $20. I used a plywood tree box that's usually for our Halloween tree but I simply covered … [Read more...]
Danny has a brownie obsession. If he had his way, brownies would be a food group. Making brownies from scratch isn't too difficult, but sometimes I'm just too busy to spend time making homemade brownie batter, from-scratch caramel, and chocolate ganache. So I had a Sandra Lee moment and made up a semi-homemade brownie for him to enjoy when my time is limited. So this is a step by … [Read more...]
I love wild boar ham! It has a salty flavor just like domestic ham, but it also gives off a slight scent of eucalyptus. The meat is a beautiful deep pink, almost on the verge of red. I served it simply, with a side of peas and mashed potatoes, because a ham like this needs humble sides so it can take center stage! I actually wasn't sure about baking this ham. I had come across it in the very … [Read more...]
Grab your jersey and get your "game face" on! It's time for Super Bowl XLIX, He Hunts She Cooks Style. Even though the Steelers aren't in the Super Bowl this year, it's still a great reason to party. I've created a mini version of a tablescape you can re-create in your own home to bring life to your Super Bowl party. With a trip to your local hardware store, and Ikea, this table is a cinch to set … [Read more...]
I created this recipe for Wilderness Unlimited Hunting Club quarterly magazine. I used a seven day, dry aged wild pig top butt, but this can be adapted for a boneless loin too (domestic Kurobuta pork can be used if you don't have access to wild boar). I start out with a dry rub on the meat, then wrapped it in saran wrap and refrigerated it for twenty-four … [Read more...]
