Into the Wild

WORDS BOB SACAMANO. IMAGES SUPPLIED.

Invasive species have become a major problem in the Bay of Plenty, and while the debate rages about how best to deal with this issue, one Whakatāne couple have hit upon a novel and possibly perfect solution: let’s eat them!

When Mawera Karetai and Dave Barrett met 14 or so years ago, neither of them anticipated Mawera would go on to become a leader in poison-free pest management, specialising in controlling pest bird species on farms. Nor did Mawera see herself becoming an educator, teaching people about wild and gathered food. And yet, this has become her life.

In the past, pest bird species were poisoned as a means of controlling the population, because just five peafowl or turkey will eat as much grass in one day as a sheep. And some of the farms the couple have worked with have had up to 3000 birds, so it’s a serious problem.

“Working with our volunteers, we hunt the birds at night, from their roosts, take them away from the farm, hand pluck the feathers, take the meat for food and the frames are fed to pigs. There is no waste in our process and the need for another poison is eliminated from our environment. The birds don’t suffer and there are no safety issues with our processes. We don’t charge for managing the pests because we make our money from selling the feathers.”

Feathergirl, their retail brand, it is unique in that their feathers are sourced in New Zealand from a pest species, and so their customers become part of that story and the Feathergirl story becomes part of their branding.

Mawera Karetai and Dave Barrett

Image supplied

But while the feathers pay the bills, Mawera’s passion is wild food. In a regular week, dinner will be a mix of peafowl, turkey, venison, goat, hare and rabbit. And that is the norm for an increasing number of families. “Each year our volunteer numbers increase for a number of reasons. Some people want to learn to hunt for meat. Some want to hunt for fitness and comradery. Others want to contribute to our environmental goals. But whatever the motivation, it’s great to see people out harvesting kai from the natural environment.”

Most of the species they hunt were introduced as food, and if we continue to see them like that, then the numbers can be managed. But if we see them simply as a problem-causing pest, then we tend to throw poison at these species, which creates more problems. “Our natural environment needs champions,” Mawera says, “and until we take that approach, we are continuing to put pressure on native and endemic species that are struggling”.

So, with summer here and everyone looking for something special to lay out for friends and whanau, Mawera and Dave have come up with a couple of special wild food recipes that you can try at home.

Tasty Mustard Rabbit

Image supplied

Mustard Rabbit

Rabbits were introduced to New Zealand in the 1800s as a source of food, sport and fur. Sadly, like all things introduced to NZ, over the years they grew in size and numbers to become a serious pest, but on the plus side they are delicious!

Rabbit has a similar texture to free range chicken and has a very delicate flavour. High in protein and B12 but low in cholesterol and sodium, rabbit is also really good for you, too. For some reason, perhaps because it is widely viewed as a pest, rabbit has been one of the most underrated meats in recent years, but it is slowly coming back into fashion.

INGREDIENTS

1 large rabbit (cut into serving sized pieces)

½ cup dijon mustard 1 tblsp wholegrain mustard Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 tblsp butter 6 button, sliced mushrooms 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, finely chopped

½ cup good dry white wine (if it is not good enough to drink, it is also not good enough to cook with)

A bouquet of bay leaf, fresh thyme and sage

½ cup crème fraîche 2 tblsp finely chopped fresh parsley

METHOD

1. Liberally coat rabbit pieces with Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat 2 tbsp of the butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Sear rabbit pieces, turning frequently, until rabbit is very crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a platter.

3. Reduce heat to medium and melt remaining 2 tbsp butter in pan. Add mushrooms, onions and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened, 8 –10 minutes.

4, Add wine to pan and scrape up any browned bits. Return rabbit pieces to the skillet, along with Bay Seasoning. Cover and cook until rabbit is tender, about 35 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and stir in crème fraîche, whole grain mustard and parsley. Serve with seasonal vegetables.

Tasty Wallaby Casserole

Image supplied

Wallaby Casserole

Wallabies have been in the news over the last couple of weeks – and not because of the rugby.

Dama wallabies, introduced in the 1850s-60s, have flourished and were listed on the Noxious Animals list in the mid-1950s. That means they cannot be kept as pets or farmed, and they eat our native forests - so let’s eat them!

The age of the wallaby meat determines the way I cook it. A young animal has a sweet and delicate

flavour, while the older animal can be a little tough and gamey. The tail meat can make delicious steak or casserole, and the legs lend themselves to a slow cook, as you would for shanks.

Wallaby meat is not only tasty, it is also good for you. It is very lean and is a good source of Omega-3, and is rich in iron, zinc and the vitamin B family. Unfortunately, you can’t easily obtain it from a store – you need to know a hunter who can get some for you.

INGREDIENTS

75 g plain flour

500 gms of diced wallaby tail and legs of wallaby

100 ml good oil 1 celery stalk, chopped

1 large carrot, peeled, chopped

1 onion, chopped 5 garlic cloves, smashed 1 Tsp celery seeds 2 bay leaves 1 Tsp dried thyme 2 Tsp peppercorns

2 sprigs each oregano and rosemary (1tsp dried)

400 g can chopped tomatoes 850 ml can tomato juice 500 ml (2 cups) red wine 250 ml (1 cup) good beef stock 2 Tbsp tomato paste

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C, coat meat in flour.

2. Heat oil in a large, heavybased frying pan over high heat and brown meat, turning, for three minutes. Remove meat from pan and place in a casserole dish.

3. Clean frying pan and return to high heat with some oil. Add vegetables, onion, garlic, spices and herbs, and cook, stirring, for three minutes.

4. Stir in tomatoes, juice, wine, stock and tomato paste. Bring to the boil, then carefully pour over meat.

5. Cover and transfer pan to oven. Bake for 2.5 hours. Stir after each hour and add water if necessary.

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