FOR THE TABLE

Dave Allen was named to succeed Harlan Kent as chief executive officer of Pure Fishing. *email

Venison and mushroom cottage pie

1 pound ground venison

1 tbp. olive oil or bacon fat

8 ozs. portobello or white mushrooms, quartered

1 medium onion, diced

3 medium carrots, diced

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1 3/4 cups beef or game stock

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tbsps. milk

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

3 cups prepared mashed potatoes

1 tbsp. prepared horseradish

In an oven-proof saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown the ground venison.

Remove and set aside. To the same pan over medium heat, add the olive oil (or bacon fat) and the mushrooms.

Stirring frequently, sauté the mushrooms until they are just starting to brown (about 5 minutes). Add the onion and carrots, adding a bit more oil if necessary to keep the vegetables from sticking. Sauté until onions are translucent and the carrots have softened slightly.

Season with salt, pepper and ground nutmeg. Add the fresh or frozen peas, venison and the stock. Stir until well combined and bring the liquid to a low boil. In a small bowl or jar, mix together the cornstarch and milk until smooth. Pour this mixture evenly over the venison and vegetables, and stir well. The sauce should thicken slightly within a minute or so. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the burner to cool slightly. To the leftover mashed potatoes, add the horseradish and a little bit of milk and stir. Drop and smooth the mashed potatoes evenly over the top of the venison mixture. Place the pan in the top one-third of the preheated 400-degree oven. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the potato-crust top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around the edges.

—Utah DWR

Bluegill muffins

Bluegill fillets (quart bag)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 egg

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. seasoned salt

1 tbsp. mayonnaise

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tbsps. fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 cup white onion, minced

Cooking spray

Rinse and dry bluegill fillets. Heat skillet over medium heat and add olive oil, salt, pepper and fillets. Cook until fish turns white and flaky. Use a spatula to chop fish as it cooks into small pieces. Remove from heat and set aside. Drain all liquid. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together the cooked bluegill, egg, lemon juice, mayo, seasoned salt, breadcrumbs, parsley and onion. Take handfuls of the mixture and place into muffin tin. Bake for 10-15 minutes until muffins are golden brown on top.

—Indiana DNR