The Hunters Cookbook by Robin Lambert

The Hunters Cookbook

Delicious Venison and Bird Recipes By Robin Lambert

Contents Page 3: The Deer Hunter Page 8: Venison Recipes Page 99: Game Bird Hunting Page 103: The Pheasant Page: 105 Pheasant Recipes Page: 142: The Grouse Page: 146: Grouse Recipes Page: 165: Wild Turkey Page: 167: Turkey Recipes Page: 187: The Quail Page 189: Quail Recipes Page 202: The Duck Page 204: Duck Recipes Page 219: The Wood Pigeon Page 221: Pigeon Recipes Page 230: The Goose Page 232: Goose Recipes

The Deer Hunter Deer hunting is the activity or sport of pursuing and harvesting deer, dating back to tens of thousands of years ago. There are numerous types of deer throughout the world that are hunted. The white-tailed deer is one of the most common types of deer that are hunted in the United States. Deer hunting manages population of deer in states where overpopulation of deer causes food shortage and disease. Also, deer overpopulation can be costly to car insurance due to collisions with the animals. There are six species of deer in the UK: red deer, roe deer, fallow deer, Sika deer, muntjac deer, and Chinese water deer, as well as hybrids of these deer. All are hunted to a degree reflecting their relative population either as sport or for the purposes of culling. Closed seasons for deer vary by species. The practice of declaring a closed season in England dates back to medieval times, when it was called fence month and commonly lasted from June 9 to July 9, though the actual dates varied. It is illegal to use bows to hunt any wild animal in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Victorian era dramatist W. S. Gilbert remarked, "Deer-stalking would be a very fine sport if only the deer had guns." UK deer stalkers, if supplying venison for public consumption, are required to hold a DSC1 (Deer Stalking Certificate 1) which incorporates meat handling and hygiene together with disease identification. Mainly a theory-based course it does also test the stalkers deer identification and shooting ability. The more difficult DSC2 is the practical to the DSC1 requiring three kills, a post-mortem "gralloch" including examination of the animal's lymphatic system and a check for notifiable diseases. The stalker must put together a comprehensive portfolio of each stalk signed off by an "Approved Witness". While "deer stalking" is widely used among British and Irish sportsmen 3

to signify almost all forms of sporting deer shooting, the term is replaced in North American sporting usage by "deer hunting" - an expression that in Britain and Ireland have historically been reserved exclusively for the sporting pursuit of deer with scent-seeking hounds, with unarmed followers typically on horseback. Venison usually refers to Deer meat, but if can also mean meat from any large game animal including Elk, Moose, Caribou, and Antelope. This meat may be a little hard to find if you don't do your own hunting, but increasing can be found online or available through specialty markets. Because it is so much lower in fat and cholesterol, it has become a favorite of health-conscious individuals, including those on restrictive diets. Healthier: Venison is not only low in fat and cholesterol, but high in vital nutrients like B vitamins, iron, and phosphorus. Like any non-farm produced animal, Venison is resistant to disease and does not live on a diet of antibiotics and steroids. Many people stay away because they believe the flavor is too strong, venison actually has a wonderful woody, almost fruity flavor that is truly fantastic. Don't compare it to beef, because there is no comparison in flavor, though the texture is similar. One word of warning though, If you are prone to "gout" you should eat venison in moderation. Venison meat contains purines which can cause gout flare-ups. Preparation: Venison has such a wonderful flavor that it doesn't take much to make it great on the grill. While you can marinate and season venison, it doesn't need much in the way of extra flavor. Since venison is so low in fat, marinate it in an oil-based marinade to give it extra moisture. Grilling: Venison is quite lean, so avoid overcooking it or you will end up with a dried-out piece of meat. The grill is the perfect place to cook venison because of the high, intense heat that allows for quick cooking times. 4

Because of the low-fat content, venison can stick to your grill so brush it light with oil before it hits the hot cooking surface. Venison does not need to be cooked to the same high temperatures as beef and should only be cooked to about 145 degrees F. This type of meat is great in hamburgers, but you need to watch the cooking time. While most people haven't seen a medium rare burger in decades, it is important not to overcook ground venison or you'll end up with a crunchy char-burger. Smoking: Low and slow smoking works great with venison, but again you need to compensate for the lack of fat. This is typically done by seasoning the venison roast and then wrapping it in bacon. The bacon with maintain the moisture of the meat while it smokes. Make sure there are spaces between the bacon to let the smoke reach the meat. Venison also makes great jerky. The vast majority of us will buy venison by the joint, as we do with beef, lamb and pork. The cuts behave in a similar way to lamb. The haunch, or back leg, is mainly for roasting on or off the bone. It can also be barbecued like leg of lamb. The saddle is another roasting joint and is usually done on the bone, although the loin can be boned for steaks or noisettes. It can also be cut into chops. The neck and shoulders are strictly for braises and casseroles. These sections can be cooked whole, or diced for casseroles. It is possible to mince the braising sections for an excellent burger, although it is usually necessary to add fat from another animal (back fat from pork or bone marrow from beef and veal) because of venison's natural tendency towards ultra-leanness. Larding and marinades Traditional recipes for cooking venison often call for larding the meat, which is to say, spiking it with the fat from bacon to counteract the meat's very lean nature. Many people are fearful of cooking game because they think it will taste dry. I haven't included any instructions for larding in the following recipes. I believe that if the meat is cooked simply and swiftly, in a moderately 5

hot oven to begin with, and is then properly rested, it will be tender and juicy. More importantly, it won't taste of bacon! Game and bacon are good partners, but I prefer to include it in the garnishes or side dishes, letting the flavour of the roast shine rather than be dominated. It is not recommended marinating venison or hare with wine either. Many older recipes call for this as a way of tenderising what was once regarded as a dense and therefore potentially tough meat. We believe that this was probably due to the somewhat erratic temperatures of old ovens, which made it hard for early cookery writers to give readers the requisite cooking times for guaranteed tenderness. Dousing meat in alcohol actually encourages it to lose moisture, so we don't do it. Classic roasts and suggested trimmings for venison The two cuts of venison I favour for roasting are saddle (loin) and haunch (back legs). Both are best cooked on the bone for flavour and succulence. When it comes to roasting these joints, you might want to consider roe deer over red, simply because its smaller size is more userfriendly in a domestic setting. With all roasting recipes for larger animals, we highly recommend talking to your butcher and allowing him or her to choose the joint that best suits your needs, depending on how many are coming for dinner. When it comes to successfully roasting any joint of meat make sure that you get the correct weight. Our cooking times depend on a couple of very simple sums, depending on the weight of the meat. You want to aim to serve about 250g of meat as a portion. The average saddle on a young roe deer is around 2 kilos which, once you have taken into account the weight of the bones, is ideal for four to six people. A haunch of adult roe deer will weigh 2–2.5kg which, taking into account the weight of the bones, is ideal for six to eight people. If you want to feed more, a red deer haunch will weigh about twice as much. It should be possible to get smaller roasting joints cut from the haunch of red deer, like the top and silver side that you find on a leg of beef. Venison is incredibly versatile when it comes to the accompaniments because it will take all the traditional, fruity, and slightly sweet 6

embellishments that go so well with most game. It is excellent with quince, and also with Cumberland sauce. However, like beef, venison loves horseradish, although this is not such a well-known fact. Try serving it with nothing more than a watercress salad and a dollop of horseradish sauce.

The various section cuts of the deer

Venison Recipes Pan-fried venison with Blackberry Sauce Ingredients: tbsp olive oil 2 thick venison steaks, or 4 medallions 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 150ml beef stock (made with 2 tsp Knorr Touch of Taste beef concentrate) 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly 1 garlic clove, crushed 85g fresh or frozen blackberries Method: Heat the oil in a frying pan, cook the venison for 5 mins, then turn over and cook for 3-5 mins more, depending on how rare you like it and the thickness of the meat (cook for 5-6 mins on each side for well done). Lift the meat from the pan and set aside to rest. Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan, then pour in the stock, redcurrant jelly and garlic. Stir over quite a high heat to blend everything together, then add the blackberries and carry-on cooking until they soften. Serve with the venison, celeriac mash and broccoli.

Venison Steak with Port Sauce Ingredients: 750g small potatoes, halved or quartered if some are large 2 tbsp olive oil 4 venison steaks 1 tbsp cracked black pepper chopped parsley, to serve (optional) For the sauce zest 1 orange, removed in strips, plus its juice 6 tbsp redcurrant jelly 4 tbsp port 1 cinnamon stick Method: Make the gravy by simmering all the ingredients together until the redcurrant jelly has completely melted. Keep warm. Steam or simmer the potatoes until just tender, about 8 mins, then drain well and add a few drops of oil. Lay the venison on a board. Sprinkle some of the black pepper and a little salt on each side, pressing the pepper into the steaks. Heat the remaining oil in a pan. When it has a shimmering surface, add the steaks, 2 at a time. Cook for 2 mins on each side for rare, 3 mins for medium and 4 mins for well done. When cooked, return them all to the pan and pour over the sauce. Warm for 1 min, sprinkle with parsley. Serve with the potatoes and peas, if you like, and any extra sauce spooned over.

Venison Steaks with Cracked Black Pepper Ingredients: Serves: 4 500g (1 1/4 lb.) venison steaks 1 dessertspoon cracked black pepper 1 dessertspoon coarse salt Good knob of unsalted butter Method: Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 15 mins Sprinkle salt and pepper generously over both sides of the venison steaks. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat; skim off solids (the 'milky' substance that forms) and discard. Transfer butter to a large frying pan and heat over high heat. Pan fry venison steaks in frying pan for about 3 minutes each side, then reduce heat to medium and cook for about 8 or 10 minutes each side for rare steaks, 12 minutes each side for medium. Remove from heat and let stand for 2 to 3 minutes before slicing into long strips. Serve immediately.

Venison Steaks with Rosti Prepare and cook the steaks as in the recipe for 'Pan-Fried Venison Steaks with Bearnaise Sauce'. Ingredients: 2 Large Baking Potatoes e.g., Maris Piper Olive Oil 50g Butter Seasoning Method: Peel the potatoes. Place them in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring them to the boil and cook over a fast heat for 5 minutes. Drain potatoes and cool for a few minutes. Grate the potatoes with a coarse grater and place the mixture in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan. Add 2 -3 tablespoons olive oil and the butter. Place a couple of metal rings (cutters) into the pan and fill with the grated potato. Take care not to push too much potato into the ring, otherwise the rosti will be too thick. Cook the rosti for 3-4 mins and then carefully remove the ring. Turn the rosti over and continue to cook until it is golden brown. Serve the venison steak on top of the rosti with any pan juices poured over.

Venison Sausages in a Red Wine Sauce Ingredients: Serves 4 11/2lb Venison Sausages 8oz button mushrooms 8oz shallots 1 dessert spoon English mustard 1 dessert spoon juniper berries crushed 3 bay leaves A large sprig of thyme Parsley 1 generous tbsp rowan berry jelly 12oz bacon 1 bottle of red wine A large knob of butter Approx. 1/2oz cornflour Seasoning Method: Melt the butter in large saucepan and gently brown the sausages. Remove from the pan. Cut the bacon into whatever size pieces you prefer and brown in the pan with the shallots. Finally brown the whole button mushrooms, then remove from the pan and keep separate. Return the sausages, bacon and shallots to the pan and add the wine (reserve enough to form a liquid with the cornflour), thyme, bay, juniper berries and seasoning to taste. Allow to simmer for about 50 minutes. Add the mushrooms for the last 10 minutes of the cooking time. At the end of the cooking time remove the sausages, shallots and mushrooms. Mix the cornflour with the reserved wine and stir this, the rowan berry jelly and the mustard into the sauce. Stir the mixture until it becomes thick and glossy then allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Return the sausages, shallots and mushrooms to the pan, allow to warm through, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. 12

Braised Shoulder of Venison in a Juniper Sauce Ingredients: Serves 6 Approx. 3 - 4 lb. Boneless Shoulder of Venison. Butter Seasoning 16 crushed juniper berries 1 large onion. 1 large carrot 4 sticks of celery 1 teaspoon of French Mustard 1 teaspoon of Thyme 2 Bay Leaf 1/4 pint of Stock Half a bottle of Red Wine. Garlic 5 tbsp Rowan berry jelly approx. 1/2 oz Corn flour Method: Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Prepare the joint by making small incisions all over with a sharp knife and inserting a clove of garlic and a knob of butter into each cut. Season by rubbing salt, pepper and grated nutmeg all over the meat. Melt a little butter in a large pan and allow the sliced vegetables to sweat for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a casserole dish. Brown the meat in the pan used for the vegetables then transfer to the casserole dish. Combine the mustard, herbs with the stock and wine and pour around the joint. Cover the dish and cook for about 2 hours. Add a little more stock or wine during cooking as necessary. When the joint is cooked remove from the oven and keep warm. Meanwhile, strain the contents of the casserole dish and discard the vegetables. Place the liquid into a saucepan and allow to reduce slightly. Add the rowan berry jelly and stir until it melts. Mix the corn flour with enough water to form a liquid then slowly add to the sauce stirring constantly until the mixture blends and becomes glossy Allow this to cook for 2-3 minutes. 13

Venison Medallions with Aubergines and Chestnut Tortellinis in a Rich Cassis Sauce Ingredients: Serves 4 1 1/2 - 2 lbs of Venison Strip loin or Seamed Haunch Muscle (Mini Haunch) 1 glazed chestnut/tortellinis 1 pint of red wine, veal/game stock "Crème de Cassis" to taste! Herbs, mixed, picked Chervil and or flat parsley 2 aubergines 1/2lb fresh pasta Method: Place glazed chestnut into pasta and form into tortellinis, 3 per person. Simmer in salted water with a splash of olive oil for 4-5 minutes. 3 slices of Aubergines, 3/4 inch thick, brush with olive oil and seasoning, then slow roast for 15 minutes at 150 degrees centigrade. Sear the medallions, 2-3 per person, 3/4 inch thick, in a very hot pan. Best kept pink. Sit the medallions on top of the aubergines and place the tortellinis around, garnish with picked chervil/flat parsley. Using red wine and veal/game stock base, enrich your sauce with "Crème de Cassis" liqueur. Reduce to half, enrich with chopped herbs, and pour over Venison to gently flood the plate.

Broiled Venison with Corbin Steak Sauce Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter or margarine ½ cup white wine dry ¼ teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon Worcester sauce 1 teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon mustard powder 2 teaspoons red hot pepper sauce 1 teaspoon lemon juice fresh ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper fresh, ground 2 ½ pounds venison steaks Method: Melt butter in saucepan over low heat; stir in remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring sauce to boil and remove from heat. Place venison steaks on broiler pan, brush with sauce, and broil for 5 minutes; turn and brush sauce on other side. Broil for 5 minutes or to desired doneness. Use sauce generously.

Venison Casserole Ingredients: Serves: 6 1kg (2 1/4 lb) cubed venison 500ml (17 fl oz) red wine 1 small handful juniper berries 1 dessertspoon peppercorns 2 bay leaves 1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 medium onions, sliced 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 medium carrots, sliced Method: Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 4 hours Place the venison, red wine, juniper berries, peppercorns and bay leaves in a large bowl. Leave in the refrigerator to marinate for several hours, preferably overnight. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large ovenproof casserole and sauté onion until translucent. Meanwhile, remove venison from the marinade, retaining the marinade for later use. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper. Mix together the flour, salt and pepper and coat venison with the mixture. Preheat oven to 140 C / Gas mark 1. Remove onions from the casserole. Add the venison to the casserole and brown in small batches (about 6 cubes at a time). Add more oil or a knob of butter if necessary. Once meat is browned, return all of the meat and onions back to the casserole and add the chopped carrots. Pour the reserved marinade over the meat and vegetables. Put the lid on the casserole and cook in the preheated oven for 3 to 4 hours. The casserole is ready when the meat is tender and falls apart with a fork. 16

Venison Casserole with Beer Ingredients: Serves 4 900g boned venison shoulder 2 tbsp oil 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped 150g piece smoked streaky bacon or pancetta diced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1 tbsp plain flour 300ml beef or venison stock 300ml brown ale 2 tsp soft light brown sugar 1 or 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs of thyme Roasted baby carrots and mash, to serve Method: Preheat the oven to 130C/Gas Mark 2. Cut the venison into 3cm cubes, discarding any gristle and sinew. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a flameproof casserole dish. Fry the venison in batches for 5–6 mins until browned on all sides, adding a little extra oil as necessary. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add onions to the casserole and fry for 2–3 mins, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, add the bacon and fry for a further 2 mins. Return all the meat and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add the garlic then stir in the flour. Gradually stir in the stock and ale, scraping up any juices stuck to the bottom of the pan. Heat, stirring until simmering. Add the sugar, bay leaves and thyme and season with freshly ground black pepper. Cover the casserole with a tight-fitting lid or foil and cook in the oven for at least 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Serve with roasted baby carrots and mash. 17

Winter Venison Casserole Ingredients: 2 tablespoons redcurrant jelly 75cl bottle red wine 400g/15oz can beef consommé 2 tablespoons olive oil, for frying 1 tablespoon plain flour 900g/2lbs diced venison 50g/1.75oz butter 2 large garlic cloves, crushed 2 onions, very finely chopped 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 2 bay leaves zest and juice of 2 oranges Method: Preheat oven to 160C/Gas 3/325F Season venison generously with salt and pepper, and dust with flour Heat oil in a flameproof casserole and fry venison over a high heat until seared on all sides. Transfer to a plate Melt butter in pan, add onions and cook over a medium heat for 6-8 minutes until tender, before adding garlic, thyme, bay leaves, orange zest and juice and redcurrant jelly Bring to a simmer, then pour in whole bottle of wine and consommé and bring to a gentle simmer Now add venison to the pan Cover and simmer on hob for 1.5 hours or in oven for 2 hours until meat is completely tender. Remove from oven and leave to cool 18

Braised Venison Ingredients: Haunch or loin of venison Marinade 2 onions 2 carrots 4 sticks of celery ½ pt stock Bunch of fresh herbs or bouquet garni Rind of juice of an orange 1 tablespoon red currant jelly Beurre Manie Seasoning Method: Marinate the venison for 2 to 3 days, turning occasionally. Dry the meat and brown all over in hot fat or oil. Slice the onions, carrots and celery, fry gently for 5 –10 minutes, and place in the bottom of a casserole. Place the venison on top and add the herbs, marinade, stock and orange peel. Season. Cover the casserole and braise gently in a moderate oven for 2 – 2½ hours. Baste occasionally. When the venison is cooked, slice and arrange on a serving dish. Strain the liquor from the casserole, reduce a little, and add the orange juice and redcurrant jelly. Thicken with beurre manie. Spoon a little of the sauce over the meat and serve the rest separately

Carpaccio of Roe Deer Ingredients: serves 4 250 grams Roe Deer fillet 100 grams of freshly washed rocket Salt and ground Black Pepper 50 grams Parmesan for grating Method: Roll the fillet in ground sea salt and ground black pepper corns Sauté in a hot frying pan for 10 seconds each side Place in fridge until the roe deer is cold and set Sprinkle some washed rocket on a salad plate With a sharp knife cut wafer thin slice of the roe and spread across the rocket With a potato peeler, peel shavings of Parmesan over the roe Drizzle with olive oil and finish with a squeeze of lime juice

Pan Fried Venison with Roasted Red Peppers and Goats Cheese Ingredients: Haunch steaks Worcester sauce Red Wine 1 Fresh Chilli 4 Fresh garlic (clove segments) Fresh Roquette Red peppers Extra Virgin Olive oil 100grams of goats’ cheese Method: Take venison out of the fridge to allow it to be at room temperature Mix quarter of a bottle of red wine, one chopped red chilli, 4 chopped segments of a garlic clove and two tablespoons of Worcester sauce in a large bowl. Mix and add venison steaks, allow to stand for 30 minutes. Take red peppers and cut into quarters removing the middle section of the vegetable. Take quarters and rub the skin with olive oil. Place under grill skin side up. Remove once skins have turned dark brown or black. Wrap red peppers in tin foil and allow to cool. Once cool peel off the skins and slice quarters into strips. Set aside. Remove venison from marinade and add to a medium to hot griddle or fry pan. Cook venison for about 5 minutes each side until pink. To test make a small incision with a very sharp knife and view meat. Remove venison from the pan. Add rest of marinade to the pan and simmer to reduce it. Put fresh roquette on a plate, place venison on top of roquette, add the sliced red peppers on top of the venison, and crumble goat’s cheese on top. Drizzle a small amount of the marinade around the side of the plate. Serve immediately. 21

Venison Steaks with Orange Ingredients: Serves 6 6 Venison Steaks 1/4 pint/75 ml Grand Marnier or other orange Liqueur 2 oz/50g chopped shallots 2 oz/50g butter 2 oz/50g flour ¾ pint/450 ml stock Pinch tarragon plus Pinch chopped parsley, seasoning ¾ pint/450 ml orange juice 1 oz/25g sugar Method:

Marinate the steaks overnight in the Grand Marnier. Cook the shallots in the butter for one minute and remove from heat, add the flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring. Remove from heat add boiling stock, herbs and seasoning and bring slowly to the boil and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring. Drain and season the steaks and sauté for about 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and keep warm. Add orange juice to pan, then sauce and bring to boil. Add the sugar to the sauce and pour over the steak.

Potted Venison Ingredients: 1 shoulder of venison, boned and roughly chopped 1 ltr red wine (wine from a box is fine for this) 1 Star Anise 1 Cinnamon Stick 2 Bay leaves 5 Juniper Berries 6 rashers Smoked Streaky bacon, rinds removed but reserved 200g Unsalted butter, in chunks 1 Bulb Garlic, sliced in half 5 Sprigs Thyme 2bSage leaves 1 lemon, rind grated 1 pack butter for finishing the dish. Small bay leaves for decorating Method: Start by tying the bacon rinds together with the thyme, bay leaves and sage with kitchen string. Place in the bottom of a casserole dish with the venison, chopped bacon and all the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Cover with greaseproof paper and a tight-fitting lid and put in the oven on 130c overnight (approx. 8 hours) In morning, remove all the meat from the casserole, leaving all the herbs and spices behind. Strain off some of the liquid. Melt the pack of butter and pour off the milk solids so you are left with a clear liquid. Pour 1/3 into a Magimix with the meat and a ladle of the cooking liquid. Whizz up with salt and freshly ground pepper until smooth. Pot into your ramekins and pour over the remaining melted butter to cover the meat. Slip a bay leaf under the butter for decoration. Chill. Serve straight from the fridge with bread and chutney.

Roast Haunch of Venison Ingredients: Haunch of venison ½ lb butter Marinade Olive oil ¾ lb fat bacon strips 1 tablespoon flour ¼ pt burgundy Juice of half a lemon or orange Seasoning Method: Marinate the haunch for 24 hours. Remove from marinade and rub all over with oil. Dab all over with pats of butter and wrap around with the fat bacon. Smear a sheet of greaseproof paper on both sides with olive oil. Wrap the meat in the greased paper. Place in a covered roasting tin, or wrap in foil. Roast in a hot oven (500 degrees) for 15 minutes per pound, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees. Baste frequently. 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time, unwrap the haunch and remove the bacon strips. Sprinkle flour over the top of the haunch, baste well and return to a hot oven for 10 – 15 minutes. Place haunch on serving dish and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the roasting tin. Add the flour and cook till brown. Remove from heat and gradually add the burgundy and lemon, or orange juice. Bring to the boil, stirring all the time, and simmer for a few minutes. Adjust the seasoning. Serve red currant jelly with the venison.

Venison in Beer Ingredients: Serves 6 1tbsp oil 25g/1 oz butter 1 head of celery chopped 2 tbsp black treacle 50g/ 2 oz soft brown sugar 1.5 kg/3 lb diced venison 600 ml/1-pint bitter beer 300 ml/ ½ pint beef stock Seasoning Method: Preheat the oven to 180oC/ 350oF/ gas mark 4. Brown the celery well in the oil and butter, seal the venison and place in casserole dish with the celery. In the same pan dissolve the treacle and sugar in the beer. Add stock and seasoning and bring to the boil. Pour over the meat, cover tightly and cook for at least 2 hours, adding more stock if necessary.

Venison Steak with Real Chips and Béarnaise Sauce For the béarnaise sauce: 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 6 black peppercorns 1 fresh bay leaf 1 shallot, finely chopped 1 sprig of fresh tarragon 1 sprig of fresh chervil 2 egg yolks Salt and freshly ground black pepper 125g/4oz unsalted butter softened 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chervil 450g (1lb) Kerr’s Pink or Maris Piper potatoes Sunflower oil for deep frying Salt and freshly ground black pepper Two thick paves of venison 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil 25g (1 oz) unsalted butter To make the béarnaise sauce: Put the vinegar, peppercorns, bay leaf, shallot, tarragon and chervil into a small saucepan and reduce over a medium heat to 1 tablespoon. Remove from the heat to stop further evaporation. In a small heatproof bowl, beat the yolks with a pinch of salt and teaspoon of butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until slightly thickened. Strain the reduction into the bowl. Beat again until thickened. Beat in the remaining butter piece by piece, increasing the temperature as the sauce thickens and add more butter, taking care that the water does not touch the base of the bowl. When all the butter is added, stir in the tarragon, chervil and any juices from the meat pan. Keep warm over a pan of warm water until ready to serve. This is best used quite quickly. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180ºC. 26

Whilst the oil is heating, cut the potatoes into long thick wedges (chips). Add these to the hot oil and deep fry them for 12-15 minutes until they are a lovely golden colour. Lift the basket out and shake off any excess oil. Tip the chips into a dish lined with several sheets of kitchen paper and dab dry. Keep warm in the oven with the door slightly ajar. Place a large heavy frying pan on a high heat. Season the steaks well with salt and ground black pepper. Add the sunflower oil to the hot pan. When it starts to smoke add the steaks, then add the butter and allow it to foam. It’s important to leave the steaks at this stage, resist the temptation to move them around. After 2-3 minutes spots of blood will start to appear on the top which shows they are ready to turn. Cook again for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the steaks and place on a metal tray in a warm place to rest for 2-3 minutes. This will redistribute the juices into the meat, giving them an even colour. Remove the chips from the oven and tip on to warm serving plates to serve with the steak, béarnaise sauce and a mixed salad and serve.

Fillet of Venison with Red Wine and Wild Mushrooms Ingredients: (serves 4) 600ml red wine (such as shiraz) 1/3 cup (80ml) Madeira or dry sherry 1/3 cup (80ml) balsamic vinegar 6 shallots, sliced 1 fresh bay leaf 1 thyme sprig 2 cups (500ml) cranberry juice or good-quality beef stock 10g dried chanterelle or porcini mushrooms* 1kg venison fillet 1 tbs olive oil 30g unsalted butter 1 tbs plain flour Redcurrant jelly, to serve Method: To make the sauce, combine the red wine, Madeira, balsamic vinegar, eschalots, bay leaf and thyme in a bowl and set aside for 2-3 hours. Place in a saucepan with jus or stock and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by three-quarters (this will take about 20 minutes). Set aside. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl, pour over a little boiling water and set aside to soak for 10 minutes. If the venison fillet is long, cut it in half. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat and sear the venison on all sides. Transfer to a baking tray and roast for 10-12 minutes for medium- rare. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. 28

Drain mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Add flour to the pan and cook, stirring, for a further minute. Add red-wine sauce and reserved mushroom liquid, and simmer for 5-6 minutes until well-reduced. Season to taste. Slice the venison and serve with sauce and redcurrant jelly, accompanied by the salad and tartiflette

Pan-Fried Venison Venison is in season from September to the end of February. The best venison comes from the Roe Deer and has a rich and deeply intense gamey flavour. Like most game it is very lean because it is reared in the wild, so the low-fat content makes a healthy alternative to beef. Preparation Time: 2 minutes Cooking Time: up to 6 minutes Ingredients: 170g venison fillet per person 3 tablespoons olive oil 15g unsalted butter Method: Season the venison steaks with salt & pepper. Put the butter and oil into a pan over a medium heat. When the butter has stopped bubbling and has gone quiet, put the steak in and cook it according to the following table: Cooked Time for side 1 Time for side 2 Blue 48s 32s Rare 1m 30s 1m 0s Medium-Rare 2m 05s 1m 25s Medium 2m 35s 1m 40s Medium-Well 3m 0s 2m 0s Well-done 3m 20s 2m 15s Remove the venison fillets from the pan, transfer them to a plate and allow them to rest for 5 minutes. Serve it whole or slice in half. I like to serve the venison with steamed kale, potato Boulangere and a pan sauce.

Venison Fillet Rolled in Herbs, Wrapped in Prosciutto Ingredients: 800 g Venison fillet salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 Garlic Cloves peeled and finely chopped 1 tablespoon picked marjoram 1 tablespoon picked Flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon picked Mint Lemon 1 tablespoon Caper rinsed and roughly chopped 12 Slices prosciutto Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 Splash red wine 50 g Butter Method: Use a sharp knife to remove any sinew from the venison fillet. Slice almost all the way through the venison horizontally to butterfly it, if possible, make a second horizontal slice to really butterfly it flat. Use your hands to press down on the meat to flatten it even more. Use a knife to make some crisscross incisions about 1cm deep, this will allow the flavours from the herbs to penetrate the meat. Combine the garlic, marjoram, parsley, mint, lemon zest and the capers in a little bowl, drizzle enough olive oil to combine the ingredients to a rough paste. Lay the prosciutto slices side by side in two rows to make a big square. Place the butter flied venison fillet on the prosciutto. Smear the herb mixture over the crisscrosses in the meat and season well with salt and pepper. Roll the fillet in the prosciutto so it resembles its original shape. 31

Secure the prosciutto with some string. Seal the venison until the prosciutto is browned on all sides, place into a pre-heated oven on 200C for about 30 minutes. Remove the meat to a tray and allow to rest for at least ten minutes. While the meat is resting pop the empty pan onto the stove over a high heat, once the pan is hot splash in a little red wine, about half a glass should do the job. Once the wine has evaporated by about half remove from the heat and add the butter. Shake the pan around to combine the butter with the wine. 12. Slice the meat and serve immediately with steamed or braised greens and the red wine sauce.

Venison Tenderloin "Marinate venison in a red wine-based marinade for 12-36 hours depending on size of meat and age of deer. Then remove from marinade and grill or roast until meat is medium rare." Ingredients: 4 pounds venison tenderloin 1 cup red wine 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 bay leaves 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 sprigs fresh rosemary Method: Combine the red wine, cider vinegar, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary in a medium bowl, and mix well. Transfer to a large resealable bag, and put the venison tenderloin into the bag. Close tightly, pressing out as much air as you can. Place meat in the refrigerator to marinate, turning two or three times, for at least 12 hours. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Remove meat from marinade, and place on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or to your desired degree of doneness. For medium rare, the internal temperature of the roast should be at least 150 degrees F (65 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer. Let the roast stand for 15 to 20 minutes before carving. While the tenderloin roasts, heat marinade in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by 1/3. Serve with venison.

Sweet Bacon-Wrapped Venison Tenderloin Ingredients: 2 lbs venison tenderloins (a single deer loin or Moose or Elk or Pork or Beef) 1/2 lb bacon (Plain, thin-sliced Bacon is best) 3 cups dark brown sugar 2 cups soy sauce (Regular NOT low-sodium. You'll want the saltiness) 1/4 cup white sugar (Optional for added Sweetness Method: Mix brown Sugar and Soy sauce together in a bowl. They should combine nicely into soupy soy liquid. Put Deer Loin in a cooking tray and pour Brown Sugar/Soy Sauce mixture over loin. Roll tenderloin over in mixture, completely covering it. Let meat marinate in mixture at least 3 hours or overnight in fridge. It's best to marinate for 8 hours if you have the time. Also, GREAT to use a Food Saver or other Vacuum device to Vacuum pack/seal the meat with Marinade. With this method, you can achieve Overnight-level marinade in just a couple hours! Remove loin from tray, and place on a slotted bake sheet with a drip pan or aluminum foil below to catch dripping. Don't throw away marinade. Wrap a piece of bacon around the very end of the tenderloin, securing the bacon strip with a toothpick. Repeat this process until the entire loin is wrapped in ten or so bacon "loops." The tenderloin should look like an arm with a bunch of wrist watches on it, the watches being the bacon strips. Drizzle remaining marinade over deer loin. You can continue to baste the loin with the marinade throughout the cooking process with either a brush or a turkey baster. 34

Place on center rack in oven and bake at 350°F for 30-40* minutes. *This should cook the meat to about Medium. For those of you who prefer rare meat (like me), cut the time to 25-30 minutes and then follow with the "OPTION 2" step below regarding searing. OPTION 1 - with about 10 minutes of cooking time left, you can lightly dust the top of the loin with white sugar. This creates a sweet crust on top of the bacon. Might be too sweet for some. Try doing it on just HALF of the loin to see if you like it! OPTION 2 - For a crispier crust and crispier bacon, remove Loin from oven and place the Loin(s) directly on a Grill over medium-high heat to sear the bacon and outer loin. (Thanks to all of you reviewers who taught me this. It's a great step for those of us who like a cooked crust and a pink center). Remove from oven and place on cutting board. Using a knife, cut the loin between each strip of bacon so that you have many pieces of meat, each with their own toothpick. You can eat these pieces directly from the toothpick or remove the toothpick and eat like steak. You can thank me later. The next day, try the leftovers on a wheat bun with spicy BBQ Saucefor an awesome leftover sandwich.

Grilled Venison Tenderloin Recipe Ingredients: 1 pound venison tenderloin 1 cup red wine 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 clove garlic, mashed 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried and crumbled 1 tablespoon current jam or jelly (substitute grape) Method: Trim meat: remove all visible fat and most of the silver skin (translucent membrane). If loin has a long tapered end, curl the thin end back and toothpick it in place so it doesn't overcook. Mix together wine, olive oil, soy sauce, garlic and rosemary; put into zipper-top plastic bag. Add loin and marinate, refrigerated, 1 - 2 hours, turning bag occasionally (longer if meat is from an older animal). Start grill. Remove meat from marinade and pat dry. Bring to room temperature before grilling. While grill heats, pour marinade into a small pan. Over high heat, cook down to about 1/2 cup. Stir in current jam or jelly. Strain, discarding solids. Grill meat over direct heat, turning to brown all sides. Allow 6 -8 minutes per inch of thickness. Use an instant-read thermometer (125° F is medium rare) or make a small cut to check doneness. Don't overcook or meat will be dry and tasteless. Let rest on warm platter a few minutes to distribute juices within the meat. Serve whole or sliced into 1" rounds with the current sauce.

Venison Tenderloin Stuffed with Peppers, Spinach, and Goat Cheese with Wine Sauce Ingredients: 1 (3 to 4-pound) venison tenderloin, center cut 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed 8 ounces goat cheese, room temperature 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 bunch fresh basil leaves 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 shallots, minced 1/2 cup port wine 1 cup beef stock 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup beef stock 1/3 cup tomato paste 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary 1/4 cup more beef stock 2 tablespoons butter, cold, cut into pieces Method: Butterfly the venison tenderloin by cutting the venison lengthwise down the center about two-thirds of the way through the venison. Open the venison tenderloin. Use a meat mallet to pound the meat to 3/4-inch thickness. Place the spinach in a colander and squeeze out as much of the moisture as possible. Mix together the spinach, goat cheese, fresh rosemary, and thyme in a large bowl. To stuff and roll the venison tenderloin, season the flattened venison with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place the red peppers on top of the venison leaving a 1-inch border. Place the fresh basil leaves on top of 37

the red peppers. Spread the cheese mixture on one end of the peppers and basil. The cheese will be at the center of the rolled beef. Roll the venison around the cheese end in a tight cylinder. Continue rolling jelly roll fashion. Use butcher string or bamboo skewers to secure venison roll. Refrigerate for at least one hour or until ready to serve. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large roasting pan over medium high heat. Add the venison tenderloin roll to the pan and quickly brown on all sides. Place the tenderloin on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness. Cook the shallots over medium high heat in the pan used to brown the beef. Cook until just soft. Add the port wine to the pan and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add 1 cup beef stock and bring to a boil. Add the dissolved cornstarch and stir until thickened. Add the tomato paste and fresh rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the stuffed venison tenderloin from the pan and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes. Remove the rack from the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan over medium high heat. Add 1/4 cup of beef stock to the roasting pan to deglaze. Stir to loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the port wine sauce to the roasting pan. Simmer for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat. Stir in the cold butter until just combined. Cut the stuffed venison tenderloin into 1-inch slices. Pour the port wine sauce onto a dinner plate. Place a slice of venison tenderloin on top of the sauce. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Venison Casserole with Cheddar Chive Dumplings Ingredients: 500g diced venison casserole mix 30g plain flour Salt and freshly cracked black pepper 4 tbs sunflower oil 2 banana shallots, peeled and diced 1cm dice 2 carrots, peeled and diced 1cm dice 2 sticks of celery, diced 1cm dice 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed 2 cloves, crushed 100ml red wine 500ml chicken or beef stock 2 bay leaves 1 sprig of rosemary If you buy the venison already diced, remove it from the packet and pat dry using kitchen paper. Method: Prepare the vegetables, wash, cut and set aside. Place the flour in a mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the diced venison, toss to cover the meat in the flour. Heat half the oil in a large casserole dish and sauté the venison until golden brown all over, remove and set aside. Return the casserole dish to the heat and sauté the carrots, shallots and celery in the remaining oil until golden brown. Add the venison, crushed coriander, cloves and the remaining flour left over from dusting the venison, sauté for about 4 minutes. Deglaze the casserole dish with the red wine and cook until the wine becomes thick and sticky, add the stock. Cover the casserole dish with a lid and bring the casserole to a gentle simmer, add the bay leaf and rosemary, stir and cook the casserole over very low heat for 35 - 40 minutes.

Cheddar and Chive Dumplings Ingredients: 100g self-rising flour 50g vegetable or beef suet 25g grated mature cheddar cheese 1tbs chopped fresh chives 75g ice cold water Salt and freshly cracked black pepper 1 Ltr chicken or beef stock Method: While the casserole is cooking make the dumplings and cook them in a separate pan in boiling chicken or beef stock. Weigh the flour, suet, chopped chives, grated cheddar cheese, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl, mix well. Add the ice-cold water and mix quickly, do not knead the dough as it will become heavy and cloggy. Form 8 even size dumpling balls. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer, place the dumplings in the simmering stock and cook them for 15 -20 minutes without a lid. Once the casserole and dumplings are cooked, carefully transfer the dumplings to the casserole dish, bring it back to the simmer for 5 minutes and serve the casserole piping hot.

Rich Venison Casserole This is a recipe for a rich venison casserole. Scottish game, such as Deer have often been managed in great estates in the Scottish Highlands. They were used as targets for the rich to shoot at, as much as the poor to try to steal. The end result was often the same, with the rich meat ending up on the dinner plate. This recipe should give you a real "taste of the highlands" Ingredients: 2lb Venison (cubed) 5fl oz port 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or beef dripping 4 oz smoked bacon (diced) 1 large onion (roughly diced) 1 oz plain flour 11/2 pints beef stock 8 oz cranberries 8 oz Chestnuts 4 oz mushrooms (button preferred, or other to suit personal tastes) 1 bay leaf pepper to taste Salt to taste 3fl oz double cream Method: Set the oven to 275F. Heat the fat in a flameproof casserole dish and brown the venison cubes. Add the bacon and onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the flour. Pour in the stock & port. Then add the cranberries, chestnuts, mushrooms and bay leaf. Season to taste. Bring slowly to simmering point then cover and cook in the oven for 2 to 2&1/2 hours (ensure the meat is tender). Remove from the oven and stir in the cream. Serve with a potato dish of your choice. 41

Dark Venison Casserole with Chocolate Ingredients: Serves six For the stock: 2 onions, unpeeled, quartered Bone from the venison, cut into smaller pieces to fit in the pan 2 fresh bay leaves 1 sprig of fresh thyme 8 juniper berries 10 whole black peppercorns 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1¼pints/700ml red wine If making the stock seems too much of a problem, then boil down 1¼pints/ 700ml red wine with 10 juniper berries until there is only 3 or 4 tablespoonfuls in the pan, then add 1¾pints/1 litre of ready-made beef stock. For the stew: 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1.5kg elk meat or venison (leg or neck) cut into 3cm cubes, bones reserved for the stock 3½fl oz/100ml Madeira 3½fl oz/100ml red wine 6 juniper berries 1oz/30g dark 70% chocolate, chopped 1 tbsp dark brown sugar 5fl oz/150ml whipping cream 1oz/30g blue cheese For the stock, fry the onions, bones, herbs and spices in olive oil in a large, thick-bottomed pot. Brown well, at a low heat. When everything is golden, add the wine and reduce until it has almost evaporated. Pour on 2.5 litres water, add some salt and let it boil very slowly until reduced to about 1 litre. Remove any scum from the surface. Strain and cool. 42

For the stew. Don’t wash the pot; just add the olive oil for the stew and brown the meat on all sides over a high heat. Add the Madeira and red wine and reduce to almost nothing, then add the stock and juniper berries. Let it come to a boil, remove any scum, then lower the heat to a slow simmer. When the meat is tender, almost melting (this can take up to one to three hours), reduce the liquid to a rich, extremely hefty sauce. (At this point the stew can be cooled and refrigerated for up to four days. Reheat before following the next step.) Take the pot from the heat and stir in the chocolate, sugar, cream and cheese. Don’t let the sauce boil again. Taste, adjust the seasoning and serve. Serve with mashed or roast potatoes, an apple and celeriac salad and loganberry or cranberry sauce. Sweet-and-sour sauce is traditionally used for all game in Scandinavia but the addition of chocolate is new, giving a subtle depth to the sauce.

Venison Stew Scottish venison is browned with onions and garlic and combined with Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaf in this hearty stew Ingredients: Serves: 8 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1kg (2 1/4 lb) venison stew meat 3 onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped thyme 1 tablespoon salt 750ml (1 1/4 pints) water 7 small potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 to 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped 2 tablespoons plain flour 4 tablespoons water Method: Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 2 hours Heat oil in a large casserole or stockpot and brown the meat. Add onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, thyme, salt and 750ml water. Simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat is tender. Stir in potatoes and parsnips; cook until tender. Combine flour and remaining water. Stir into the stew to thicken slightly. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Venison Curry with Sweet Potato It was very easy to prepare and cook, and with the meat being so lean, it meant that it tasted very tender and full of flavour. If you want to try something other than beef or lamb in a curry, I highly recommend giving venison a go. Ingredients: Serves 2 2 tbsp Vegetable oil 150g/ 5½oz Venison diced 1 tbsp Garam Masala or medium curry powder 1 tsp Turmeric ½ tsp Cumin seeds 2 Bay leaves Pinch Chili flakes 50g/ 1¾oz Sweet potato, peeled and cubed 2 Baby leeks, chopped 4 tbsp Red wine 1 Lime, juice only Method: For the curry, heat one tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over a high heat, add the venison and fry for two minutes. Add the curry powder, turmeric, cumin seeds, bay leaves and chili flakes and cook for a further three minutes. Remove from the pan and keep warm. In the frying pan, heat a tablespoon of oil over a medium heat and add the sweet potato and leeks. Cover with a lid and cook for five minutes. Add the venison back to the sweet potato and leeks and cook for three minutes. Add the red wine and lime juice and cook for two minutes. Remove from the heat. To finish, stir some coriander into the curry and for an extra twist, add a spoonful of Greek yoghurt on top and garnish with more coriander. Serve with some pilau rice. 45

Venison Curry This curry is aromatic and rich. The venison after slow cooking is tender and takes on the flavours of the spices while maintaining its own taste. This curry is a mixture of dried spices and a masala style paste. A little yoghurt smooths out the heat of the curry. Portions: 4-6 Portions Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking: 1 hour and 30 minutes -2 hours Ingredients: Venison 600g stewing venison cut into even cubes Dry Spices 1 tbsp fennel seeds 4 cloves 1 tsp chili, ground 1 tsp paprika 1 tbsp ground coriander 1 tbsp ground cumin, ground 1 tsp turmeric, ground Masala Paste 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 large red chilies finely chopped 1 green chili finely chopped 1 tbsp water To Cook 2 tbsp oil 300g canned tomatoes, finely chopped 4 tbsp natural yoghurt To Serve Pilaf Rice or boiled rice Riata Cauliflower and Spinach with Coconut Optional Mango Chutney or your choice of chutney Lime Pickle or your choice of pickle Papadums

Method: Dried Spices: Grind the fennel seeds and cloves in a coffee grinder or in a mortar pestle. Stir in the remaining spices until well combined. Masala Paste: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree to a smooth paste, or ground them together in a mortar and pestle. To Cook: Place the oil in a large saucepan and place it over a moderate to high heat. When the oil is hot add the dried spices and fry them for a minute until aromatic. Add the masala paste to the pan and stir it so it is combined with the dry spices, fry it for a couple of minutes. Stir the venison into pan so that it coated with the paste, cook it for a few minutes and turn them occasionally so that the venison is brown. Stir in the tomatoes and add around half a cup of water to the curry. Reduce the heat to the lowest temperature and leave it to cook for 1 1/2 -2 hours, stirring regularly so that the ingredients cook evenly and the bottom doesn't burn, add more water if it becomes dry. The meat should be tender and the sauce thick, stir in the yoghurt and cook the curry for a few more minutes. Serve or cool and refrigerate and reheat when ready to serve (the flavours will develop if it is left for a day before reheating.) To Serve: Serve the curry in a bowl in the centre of a table accompanied with riata, chutney, pickles, rice, papadums and Cauliflower and Spinach with coconut or another vegetable dish (optional.)

Roast Haunch of Venison with a Red Wine Gravy Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 60 minutes Ingredients: Serves 4 Ingredients: 1kg rolled, boneless haunch of venison 3 tablespoons olive oil Gravy 6 bruised juniper berries half a bottle of good red wine 4 strips orange zest 400ml beef or game stock 3 tablespoons redcurrant jelly 30g diced cold butter Marinade 50ml olive oil 6 sprigs thyme 6 crushed juniper berries 6 black peppercorns Half a bottle of good red wine 3 strips orange peel Method: Mix together the marinade ingredients in a large china bowl. Add the venison and rub thoroughly with all the ingredients. Cover and chill until needed. It can be left overnight or for up to 36 hours - but should be turned regularly. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Remove the venison from its marinade and pat dry with kitchen paper. Heat the olive oil in a roasting tray over a medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown on all sides. Roast for 48 minutes for medium-rare. (Allow 15 minutes per 450g plus 48

an extra 15 minutes for a medium-rare roast.) Baste regularly. Then remove from the oven and set aside in a warm place to rest. This allows the juices to settle back into the meat. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Place the wine, orange zest and juniper berries in a saucepan and boil vigorously until reduced to about 4 tablespoons of liquid. Add the stock and redcurrant jelly and simmer until it has a good flavour. Remove the meat from the roasting pan. Pour off any excess fat from the pan and pour the gravy in. Loosen any debris and return to the boil before straining into a clean saucepan. Whisk in the butter and serve immediately with the carved venison

Venison and Vegetable Stir-Fry Ingredients: Serves: 2 1 tablespoon sesame oil 8 cherry tomatoes 300g (11 oz) venison, cut into thin strips 1 small leek, cut into fine strips 1/2 yellow pepper, finely sliced 1 tablespoon soy sauce Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste For the dressing: 3 tablespoon sweet chili dipping sauce 3 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon sesame oil Method: Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 10 mins Heat the sesame oil in a wok over high heat. Add the tomatoes and stirfry for two minutes. Add the venison, leek and yellow pepper. Stir-fry for a further 6 minutes, stirring frequently; then add the soy sauce and cook for a further 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To make the dressing, mix sweet chili sauce, olive oil and sesame oil together in a small bowl. To serve, place venison and vegetables on a serving platter and drizzle with the dressing. Serve with rice or noodles.

Venison and Guinness Pie Ingredients: Serves: 10 2kg venison, diced into 2cm chunks 2 large onions, diced 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 rashers streaky bacon, diced 2 carrots, diced 2 large potatoes, diced Beef stock, to cover 1 (440ml) can Guinness 1 sheet puff pastry Method: Prep: 25 mins | Cook: 1 hour 30 mins Heat the bacon in a dry frying pan to render the fat. Remove and set aside. Cook garlic and onions in the bacon fat until caramelised. Remove from pan and set aside. Dredge venison with flour and brown in a hot pan. Return onion and garlic to the pan. Pour in stock, stir and bring to a very slow simmer. Let simmer for 1 hour. Add vegetables and simmer until tender. Remove from heat and pour in Guinness. Stir. If gravy is too thin, thicken it with a little cornflour mixed with water. Transfer contents into a baking dish and cover with puff pastry. Pierce a few steam holes in the pastry. Bake at 180 C / Gas 4 for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and puffy.

Venison Stroganoff Ingredients: Serves: 4 2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 yellow pepper, seeded and diced 300 g (10 ½ oz) tagliatelle into thin strips 225 g (8 oz) button mushrooms, quartered 4 tbsp red wine 2 tbsp brandy 150 ml (5 fl oz) soured cream 5 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 tsp paprika Salt and pepper Method: Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 20 mins Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and yellow pepper, and cook gently for 6–8 minutes or until softened. Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle in a large pan of boiling water for 10–12 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Using a draining spoon, remove the onion and pepper from the frying pan and set aside. Add the venison strips and mushrooms to the pan, and sauté over a high heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the venison is just cooked. Return the onion and pepper to the pan, and stir in the wine and brandy. Bring to the boil, then bubble for 3–4 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly, stirring frequently. Stir in the soured cream, 3 tbsp of the parsley, the paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat through gently. Drain the pasta well and divide among 4 warmed plates. Spoon the venison Stroganoff onto the plates and garnish with the remaining 2 tbsp parsley. Serve hot.

Venison Steaks with Pears Ingredients: Serves: 4 4 venison steaks, about 140 g (5 oz) each coarsely ground black pepper 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 shallots, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 3 tbsp port 120 ml (4 fl oz) beef stock, preferably home-made 200 g (7 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries 2 ripe but firm medium-sized pears, such as Conference or Comice 1 tbsp light muscovado sugar, or to taste Rösti 1 small celeriac, about 350 g (11½ oz) 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, about 400 g (14 oz) in total 2 potatoes, about 400 g (14 oz) in total 1 small swede, about 400 g (14 oz) 40 g (1½ oz) unsalted butter Salt and pepper Method: Prep: 40 mins | Cook: 35 mins First make the rosti. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6). Peel the celeriac, sweet potatoes, potatoes and swede and coarsely grate them, then squeeze out excess liquid. Place them in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Put half of the butter into a large ovenproof frying pan, or a round or oval baking dish or tin about 25 cm (10 in) across. Heat in the oven for 3–4 minutes or until the butter is foaming, then remove and add the grated vegetables. Press them down to make an even, compact cake. Dot with the remaining butter, then cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 20–25 more minutes or until the top is lightly browned.

While the rosti is in the oven, pat the steaks dry, then season with coarsely ground black pepper. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the steaks and fry over a moderately high heat for 3–4 minutes on each side. They will still be slightly rare in the centre. Lift out and keep warm. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and fry, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the port and boil, stirring well to deglaze the pan. Stir in the stock and cranberries and cook over a moderate heat for about 5 minutes or until the berries split and soften. Meanwhile, peel and quarter the pears and remove the cores. Add to the pan and heat gently for 2–3 minutes. Add the sugar and season to taste. Tip any meat juices that have collected around the steaks into the sauce and stir gently to mix. Turn out the rosti and cut it into wedges like a cake. Serve the rosti, steaks and pears on warmed individual plates, with the sauce spooned over and around.

Venison and Mushroom Terrine Ingredients: Serves: 4 450 g (1 lb) minced venison 200 g (7 oz) lean minced pork 1 tsp finely grated fresh root ginger 12 juniper berries, crushed ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg tsp ground cloves 100 ml (3½ fl oz) port 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 100 g (3½ oz) button or chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped 1 egg, beaten 4 tbsp chopped parsley 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves Salt and pepper Method: Prep: 2 hours 30 mins | Cook: 1 hour 30 mins Mix the venison with the pork, ginger, juniper berries, nutmeg and cloves. Sprinkle over the port and half of the oil and mix in. Cover and leave to marinate for about 2 hours. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the mushrooms and fry, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until they are brown and quite dry. Set aside to cool. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4). Line the bottom and sides of a 1.2 litre (2 pint) terrine dish or loaf tin with non-stick baking parchment or greaseproof paper. Stir the mushrooms, egg, parsley and thyme into the meat mixture and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into the lined terrine or tin and smooth the surface, then cover with a double layer of foil, tightly sealing the edges. Bake for 1 1/4 –1 1/2 hours. Lift the foil and test that it is cooked by checking that the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted in the middle. Remove the foil. Put a double layer of parchment or greaseproof paper over the top of the terrine or tin, then lay 2 cans, end to end, or other weights on top. Juices will ooze out and set to a jelly. Refrigerate until cold and set, overnight if possible. Return the terrine to room temperature before serving. 55

Venison and Mushroom Pie Ingredients: Serves: 4 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 200 g (7 oz) small button onions, peeled and left whole 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) boneless haunch of venison or venison shoulder, diced 150 g (5½ oz) baby button mushrooms 3 celery sticks, thickly sliced 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves 300 ml (10 fl oz) full-bodied red wine 150 ml (5 fl oz) strong beef stock 1½ tbsp cornflour Salt and pepper Sweet potato mash 1 kg (2¼ lb) sweet potatoes, cubed 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard Grated zest and juice of 1 orange Method: Prep: 1 hour 15 mins | Cook: 20 mins Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions. Cover and cook over a low heat for 8–10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned all over. Remove the onions to a plate using a draining spoon. Add the venison to the pan and cook, uncovered, over a moderately high heat for 2–3 minutes or until the cubes are well browned. Add the onions, mushrooms, celery and thyme. Pour in the wine and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until the venison is tender. Meanwhile, steam the sweet potatoes for 25 minutes or until tender. Alternatively, cook them in boiling water for 15 minutes, then drain. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F, gas mark 5). Tip the sweet potatoes into a bowl and mash with the mustard, orange zest and juice, and salt 56

and pepper to taste. Set aside. Blend the cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water. Stir into the venison mixture and cook, stirring, until lightly thickened. Season to taste. Spoon the filling into a 1.2 litre (2 pint) pie dish. Spread the sweet potato mash over the venison filling to cover it completely. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve the pie hot.

Venison with Red Cabbage and Blueberries Ingredients: Serves: 4 1 tbsp vegetable oil 4 thick-cut venison steaks, about 125g each 500g red cabbage, thinly shredded 1 red onion, thinly sliced 175g blueberries 25g butter 2.5cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly 2 tbsp light soft brown sugar 150ml beef stock 4 tbsp ruby port Finely grated zest and juice of 1 small orange To garnish (optional) 50g walnuts, roughly chopped, 2 kumquats, sliced, sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley Method: Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 2 hours 30 mins Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas 3. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based, flameproof casserole. Add the venison steaks and sear them quickly. Remove the casserole from the heat. Layer the cabbage, onion and blueberries in the casserole on top of the venison, seasoning each layer with a little freshly ground black pepper. Set aside. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the ginger and fry for 2–3 minutes. Stir in the redcurrant jelly until melted, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the brown sugar, stock, port and orange zest and juice. Pour this sauce into the casserole, cover and cook in the oven for 2–2½ hours until the venison and cabbage are tender. Serve sprinkled with chopped walnuts, if liked, and for a special occasion, garnish with kumquat slices and sprigs of parsley.

Venison Wellington Ingredients: Serves: 4 350g (12oz) plain flour Salt and black pepper 175g (6oz) butter 4 venison steaks, about 125g (4½ oz) each 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 150g (5½ oz) wild or chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard Milk for glazing Method: Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 45 min Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6). Sift the flour into a bowl, add a pinch of salt, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in enough cold water to bind to a soft, not sticky, dough. Cover and chill for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the venison steaks with salt and pepper. Heat half the oil in a heavy or non-stick pan, add the steaks and cook quickly to brown on all sides. Remove from the pan. Add the remaining oil and cook the onion for 2-3 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, until soft. Roll out the chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into four 17cm (6½ in) squares. Spread a little mustard in the middle of each square. Top each with a venison steak, then a spoonful of the onion and mushroom mixture. Brush the edges with milk, then pull up each corner to meet in the middle, pressing the edges together to seal. Lift onto a baking sheet and brush with milk. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4) and cook for a further 10 minutes, until golden. Serve with cranberry sauce and bubble and squeak.

Spiced Venison and Brandy Terrine Ingredients: Serves: 8 350g (12oz) lean venison, diced 250g (9oz) lamb's liver, diced 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 10 juniper berries, crushed 6 allspice berries, crushed 4 tablespoons brandy 10 slices of smoked streaky bacon 1 egg, beaten Salt and black pepper Method: Prep: 2 hours 15 mins | Cook: 2 hours Put the venison, liver, onion, garlic, juniper, allspice and brandy in a bowl and stir to mix. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F, gas mark 3). Roughly chop 2 rashers of bacon and put in a food processor or blender with the marinated ingredients, the egg and some salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Stretch the remaining bacon rashers with the back of a knife, then use them to line a 1 litre (1¾ pint) loaf tin or terrine dish, overhanging the edges. Spoon in the meat mixture and fold the bacon over to cover. Cover with foil and transfer to a roasting tin. Add water to come halfway up the sides and cook in the oven for 2 hours. Remove from the roasting tin and place a heavy weight or cans of food on top. Leave to cool. Remove the weight; turn the terrine out onto a plate. Slice and serve with redcurrant jelly, mixed salad and crusty bread.

Venison with Chunky Vegetable Braise Ingredients Serves: 4 2 tbsp olive oil 3 shallots, roughly chopped 500g butternut squash, peeled and diced 2 celery sticks, sliced 1 bay leaf 300ml beef stock, made with a stock cube 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 4 venison steaks, about 2.5-3cm thick and 150g each 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 tsp smoked or regular paprika Method: Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 20 mins Fry the vegetables: Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan and fry the shallots, squash and celery over a fairly high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until beginning to brown. Preheat the grill to high. Add the flavourings: Add the bay leaf, stock and 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Grill the venison: While the vegetables are cooking, brush the venison steaks with the remaining Worcestershire sauce and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side. Cut into thick pieces, if you like. Add the chickpeas: Stir the chickpeas into the pan of vegetables and bring back to the boil. Spoon the vegetables on to serving plates and top with the venison. Sprinkle with the paprika and serve.

Slow Cooker Apple-Scented Venison Ingredients: Serves: 8 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 (1.3kg) boneless venison roasting joint 1 large apple, cored and quartered 2 small onions, sliced 4 cloves crushed garlic 250ml boiling water 1 beef stock cube Method: Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 6 hours Spread the olive oil on the inside of a slow cooker. Place the venison joint inside, and cover with apple, onions and garlic. Turn to Low, and cook until the venison is tender, about 6 to 8 hours. When the venison has cooked, remove it from the slow cooker, and place onto a serving platter. Discard the apple. Stir the water and stock cube into the slow cooker until the cube has dissolved. Serve this as a gravy with the venison.

Venison Steaks in Madeira Chestnut Sauce Ingredients: Serves: 4 170g chestnuts 1 tablespoon butter 85g chopped onions 65g chopped carrots 3 tablespoons plain flour 375ml beef stock 1/2 bay leaf, crumbled 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons Madeira wine 2 (170g) venison steaks (about 3cm thick) Method: Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 40 mins Preheat oven to 200 C / Gas 6. Slice the skin to allow steam to escape. Place the chestnuts in a baking tin, and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool. Peel off the shell, and chop. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook stirring often, the onions and carrots in the butter until soft. Stir in the flour, and cook until the flour browns. Mix in the stock, and season with bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven's grill, and position a rack 10cm below the heat source. Place the venison steaks in a grill pan. Cook 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to a hot platter. Strain the solids from the stock mixture, and return the liquid to the pan. Stir in Madeira and chestnuts. Pour hot chestnut sauce over venison steaks, and serve.

Venison Burger with Roasted Parsnip Straws Venison Burgers: Serves 6 600g venison mince 200g pork mince 1 large onion, finely diced 1 carrot, grated 1 stick of celery, grated 1tbs olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, roasted and pureed Salt and freshly cracked black pepper 1tbs whole grain mustard 1tbs freshly grated horseradish 1 whole free-range egg 50g fresh breadcrumbs (preferably sourdough) Heat a large non-stick frying pan with olive oil and sauté the diced onion, grated carrot and celery with seasoning until soft. Do not colour - when the onions turn transparent then it's ready. Leave to cool completely and add the roasted mashed garlic. Measure all the ingredients including the cooked onion mixture into the bowl of a mixer, attach a dough hook and kneed the meat until all the ingredients are well mixed. I prefer to use a mechanical form of mixing for burgers as it tightens the meat and prevent it from falling apart when cooking. Test a small amount in a hot pan and taste, adjust the seasoning if needed. Shape the burgers approximately 175g and compress into a patty shape. Let the burgers rest in the fridge for at least 6 hours. Cook the burgers 5 - 6 minutes on each side in a hot griddle pan, alternatively brown the burger in a hot pan and transfer it to a preheated oven at 200°C and cook for a further 5 - 6 minutes. Serve the burger patty on a bun with a spoonful of the beetroot relish, slices of tomato and salad leaves. Garnish with homemade onion rings and chips of your choice. For this recipe I have chosen roasted parsnip straws.

Roasted Parsnip Straws: 1kg whole parsnips, peeled Squeeze of lemon juice 2tbs olive oil 2tbs honey 1tbs Maldon sea salt 1tsp freshly chopped thyme 1tbs coriander seeds, crushed Preheat the oven to 180°C. Peel the parsnips and cut them length ways, toss them with the oil and lightly season them with salt and pepper. Roast the parsnips in the preheated oven until tender and golden brown. While the parsnips are roasting prepare the salt: Using a pestle and mortar crush the coriander seeds, add the Maldon salt and the chopped thyme, and mix. Once the roasted parsnips are done, drizzle over the honey and season with the thyme and coriander flavoured salt. Serve immediately. Beetroot and Red Onion Relish 300g red onions, peeled and finely sliced 350g raw beetroot, peeled and grated 1 clove of garlic, crushed 1/2 tsp dried chilly flakes 30g unsalted butter Maldon sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper 100g muscovado sugar 100ml malt vinegar 1tsp chopped thyme Coarsely grate the peeled raw beetroot and finely slice the red onions. Heat a medium saucepan with butter and sweat the onions, garlic, chilli flakes and beetroot with seasoning until it starts to caramelise. This should take about 10 - 15 minutes. Add the sugar and cook until dissolved. Deglaze with the vinegar and cook for a further 20 minutes. Once the relish is done stir in the chopped thyme, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Transfer the relish into sterilised jars and keep refrigerated until needed. The longer you let the relish mature the better the flavour, however you can use it straight away as it's equally as delicious.

Venison with Redcurrant Dressing and Basil Salad Ingredients: For the venison 125g/4½oz venison fillet 1 tbsp olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper For the redcurrant dressing 85g/3oz redcurrants, plus extra sprig, to serve 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp caster sugar salt and freshly ground black pepper Handful fresh basil leaves, to serve Method: For the venison, rub the meat with the oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add the seasoned venison and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown on both sides and cooked to your liking. Remove from the pan, cover and set aside on a warm plate to rest. For the redcurrant dressing, blend the entire redcurrant dressing ingredients in a food processor until smooth. To serve, sprinkle the basil leaves into the centre of a serving plate and place the fried venison on top. Spoon the redcurrant sauce around the edge of the plate. Garnish with the sprig of redcurrants

Cherry-Glazed Venison Cutlets Cherry and venison might be one of the world's best culinary pairs. Enjoy an elegant dinner at home prepared in less than 30 minutes. Ingredients: 1 (8-ounce) venison loin Salt and pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil ¼ cup finely chopped onion ¼ cup white wine ½ cup pitted cherries, chopped 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary Method: Season loin with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add loin and sear on all sides, about 10 minutes total, turning as needed. Remove loin from skillet; place on serving platter and cover. Add onions to skillet; cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer until sauce has thickened, stirring, about 3 minutes. Slice loin into thin cutlets; pour sauce over and serve immediately.

Venison Pot Pie Ingredients: 2 pounds venison stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup flour 3 tablespoons butter 1 cup diced onions 1 cup diced carrots 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 cup red wine 1 cup green peas ½ cup chicken, beef, or vegetable broth 2 Bay leaves 1 (9-inch) prepared pastry dough Method: Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly grease a 9-inch-deep pie dish. Season venison with salt and pepper. Roll in flour to coat. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium. Add venison and brown on all sides, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add onions, carrots, and garlic; cook until softened, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add wine, peas, broth, and Bay leaves; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over medium-low 20 minutes. Transfer mixture to prepared pie dish. Cover with prepared pastry dough and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until top is golden and juices are bubbly.

Pan-Seared Venison Chops with Berries Ingredients: 4 (8-ounce) venison chops Salt and pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup diced onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup blueberries ½ cup red wine ¼ cup beef broth 2 tablespoons berry jelly 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary Method: Season chops with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add chops and brown on both sides, about 7 minute’s total. Transfer chops to serving platter and cover. Add onion and garlic to skillet; cook 2 minutes, stirring. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to mix. Simmer until sauce thickens and berries break down, about 3 minutes, stirring. Pour sauce over chops and serve immediately

Venison Quesadillas Ingredients: Marinade: ½ cup orange juice ¼ cup fresh lime juice ¼ cup white or red wine 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon cumin 1 pound venison, cut into thin strips Quesadillas: 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 large tortillas 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, sliced thinly Hot sauce, for serving Salsa, for serving Method: Combine all marinade ingredients in a large plastic bag; mix well and seal. Refrigerate 4 to 8 hours. Remove venison and drain. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high; add venison and cook until seared on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Set aside. Meanwhile, heat a separate large skillet over high. Place tortillas, one at a time, on hot skillet; cover half of the tortilla with a layer of cheese. Top with reserved venison strips and avocado slices. Fold top half of tortilla over. Cook until browned on both sides and cheese has melted. Remove from skillet; repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately with hot sauce and salsa.

Venison Chili Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound venison stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes ½ pound ground venison 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 green bell pepper, seeded, chopped 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded, minced 1 (29-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 (10-ounce) can kidney beans, drained 1 cup chicken, beef, or vegetable broth 3 tablespoons masa harina (may substitute flour) 2 tablespoons chili powder 2 tablespoons cumin 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 ½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon black pepper Method: Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Add venison and cook until browned, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Remove from pot; set aside. Add onion, garlic, and peppers to pot. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, including reserved venison; stir well to mix. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Venison Meatballs Ingredients: 1 pound ground venison 1 cup breadcrumbs ½ cup Parmesan cheese ½ cup milk 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 (32-ounce) marinara sauce Method: In a large bowl, combine venison, breadcrumbs, cheese, milk, eggs, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper; mix well. Form mixture into golf-sized meatballs. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium-high. Add meatballs and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add marinara sauce and lower heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Serve alone or over cooked pasta.

Herb and Mustard-Crusted Venison Medallions Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds venison loin, cut into thin medallions ½ cup Dijon mustard 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts 1 cup chopped toasted pecans ½ cup breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon black pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil Method: Smother medallions on both sides in mustard. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine nuts, breadcrumbs, and spices. Dredge medallions in mixture, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add medallions and cook until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Serve immediately.

Bacon-Wrapped Venison Roast Ingredients: 4 pounds venison roast 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon black pepper ¼ teaspoon ginger ¼ teaspoon cloves 6 thick slices bacon 1 cup red wine 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, combine rosemary, salt, sugar, cinnamon, pepper, ginger, and cloves. Rub mixture evenly over venison roast, patting down to adhere. Wrap bacon slices evenly over roast. Place roast in a roasting pan; pour wine over. Roast 2 hours 30 minutes, until meat is very soft and internal temperature reaches 150°F. Remove roast from pan; transfer to a serving platter. Place roasting pan over medium heat on stovetop; add remaining ingredients and simmer, scraping to mix juices, until thickened. Pour over roast and serve.

Homemade Venison Sausage Ingredients: 8 pounds ground venison 8 pounds lean ground pork 1 cup salt ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup mustard seed ¼ cup onion powder 2 tablespoons garlic powder 2 tablespoons sage 2 tablespoons black pepper 15 feet sausage casings, if making links Method: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed. If forming into links, transfer mixture into a mechanical sausage stuffer; fill casing with ground meat. Twist into sausage links and cook as desired. If making patties, use hands to form mixture into 2-inch-wide round patties. Layer formed patties on wax paper; cover tightly with plastic wrap, storing in the freezer. Cook as desired.

How to Smoke a Venison Ham Here is a recipe that tends to work well: 1 (5 to 8-pound) deer ham, trimmed neatly 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce 1 cup Italian dressing 1 tablespoon cayenne red pepper 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper 1 cup chopped onions 1/2 cup soft butter Put ham in large container; cover with mixture of all remaining ingredients. Pierce the meat with a fork and soak overnight or for about 10 hours. Rotate often, about every 2 or 3 hours to marinate. Put your venison ham into the smoker and let it smoke for 6 hours; turn and smoke for 4 more hours or until tender. Note: If your venison ham is larger or smaller than the one listed then just figure the cooking time at 1.5 hours per pound as is the case with most large cuts of beef, pork and other roast type cuts. The marinade ingredients above are a really good one for most any venison cuts and even brisket and other larger cuts of beef or wild game.

Halloumi and Smoked Venison Ingredients: Serves: 4 240g halloumi cheese 100g Rannoch Smokery Cold Smoked Venison 1 ripe pear a few basil leaves 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lemon, zested 1 tablespoon lemon juice Preparation method Prep:10 mins | Cook:10 mins Method: Cut the cheese into 12 slices. Place a slice of pear and a basil leaf on each slice and wrap in a slice of smoked venison. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, some shredded basil and a good grind of black pepper in a bowl. Brush the wrapped halloumi slices with the dressing and cook under a hot grill, turning at least once and basting as they cook. Cook till golden and serve with lemon wedges and basil garnish.

Cold Smoked Venison with a Warm Salad Serves 4, as a starter. Ingredients: 4 oz Cold Smoked Venison Haunch (Oil and Herbs) 4 oz Cumberland sauce 4 oz fine green beans, lightly steamed 3-4 oz Lamb’s lettuce 2 large waxy potatoes 2 tbsp olive oil 2 crushed cloves of garlic 5 shallots, peeled and finely chopped Salt and pepper 1 tsp of mixed herbs 1/2 tsp of dried thyme Method: Par-boil the potatoes then drain and allow to cool. Heat the oil and gently fry the garlic until soft. Add the shallots and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes until they begin to soften, then add the diced potatoes and herbs. Sauté for about 10 minutes, turning to allow the potatoes to crisp and become golden all over. Place a spoonful of the potatoes onto the centre of each plate and arrange 1 1/2 - 2 slices of smoked venison on top. Arrange the beans next to the potatoes and garnish with the lettuce. Drizzle the warmed Cumberland sauce over the top and serve immediately.

Smoked Venison and Peppered Pear Salad Ingredients: Serves: 2 1 large, firm pear peeled cored and cut into 8 wedges 100g Smoked Venison, cut into strips 4 tbsp Cider vinegar 2 tbsp Caster sugar 1 tsp Black pepper, coarsely ground Small bag Salad leaves 1 tbsp Hazelnuts Drizzle Hazelnut oil Preparation method Prep:5 mins | Cook:5 mins Place the vinegar, sugar and pepper in a small frying pan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar, then turn the heat up and place the pears in the liquid. Boil furiously for a minute turning the pears to coat with the pepper, then remove the pan from the heat. Arrange the salad leaves, venison and hazelnuts in two shallow bowls. Spoon the pears and their liquid around the plates, drizzle with a little hazelnut oil over the top and serve.

Smoked Venison with Walnut Pesto Venison has a strong, powerful flavour and smoking it gives it a cured taste: even eaten cold it still has impact. Walnut pesto is a bit different; the walnuts give more crunch and a different flavour to the usual pine nuts. Ingredients: 4 (120g-150g/4oz-5oz) portions of venison (loin or sirloin) 2tbsp olive oil 1tsp lapsang souchong tea 1tbsp demerara sugar 1tbsp white or brown rice A splash of vegetable oil 25g/1oz unsalted butter For the pesto: 100g/31/2oz walnuts, toasted 25g/1oz Parmesan cheese 4tbsp olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 bunch parsley, finely chopped To smoke the venison, rub each piece all over with olive oil. Mix the tea, sugar and rice together and place in a foil-lined pan or tray. Place a small wire rack over the top of the tea mix and place the venison on the rack. Cover the entire rack and pan in tin foil and place on a moderately high heat. When the smoke begins to seep out underneath the tin foil, remove the pan from the heat and allow to sit for five minutes. For the pesto, place all ingredients into a blender and pulse until combined (but not pureed). Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. To cook the venison, heat a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan with a good splash of vegetable oil. Season the venison all over then place into the smoking oil. Sear all over, then add the unsalted butter. Let the butter foam from the heat and spoon it over the venison pieces. Remove and allow to rest for a couple of minutes before carving and serving with a smear of the pesto. 80

Smoked Venison with Melon Salad Ingredients: ½ a honeydew melon, deseeded 100g pack smoked venison (or use smoked duck or prosciutto) bunch watercress ½ a cucumber, peeled into ribbons, seeds discarded For the Honey & Mustard Dressing 1 tsp clear honey 1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 2 tsp white wine vinegar Method: Whisk together the dressing ingredients with a tiny pinch of salt, then set aside. Using a large melon baller or similar shaped implement (we used a measuring spoon), scoop balls out of the melon into a bowl. Cut any large slices of venison in half and arrange on 2 plates overlapping in a 'petal' fashion, then place 5-6 melon balls around the venison. Toss the watercress and cucumber together in a bowl, then lightly sit a mound in the centre of each plate. Drizzle everything with the dressing and a little extra olive oil, then serve straight away.

Smoked Deer Ribs Ingredients: deer ribs 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 onion minced 4 tablespoons Montreal steak seasoning rub 1-pound smoked bacon seasoning salt, to your taste aluminium foil electric smoker apple wood Method: Place deer ribs on foil and rub with the onion, garlic, Montreal steak rub and seasoning salt. Place strips of bacon over the ribs and wrap the lightly in foil. Place in smoker and smoke at 250°F for 4 hours. Soak apple wood for 1 hour before use. I use apple wood in the smoker. Keep adding wood every 1/2 hour, as needed until done. When ribs are done if they are tough place in pressure cooker @ 11 pounds of pressure with the juices from the tin foil package and bacon add to that 1/2 cup water pressure cook 25 min.

Smoked Venison Roast Ingredients: 5-7 lbs venison roast or 5 -7 lbs venison loin or 5 -7 lbs venison sirloin or 5-7 lbs venison shoulder (reserve pan juices for gravy) 2 cloves garlic, cut into slivers 1/2 lb bacon, chopped fine 1/2 cup olive oil fresh ground pepper 1 cup dry red wine Venison Gravy (optional) 2 slices bacon 3 tablespoons flour 1 cup beef broth salt and pepper Method: Trim any skin or fat from meat; cut slits at intervals in surface of roast and fill with garlic and push in some of the chopped bacon; brush meat generously with oil and sprinkle heavily with pepper. Pour 1/2 cup wine into water pan of smoker and fill with water; put in place over hot fire. Place meat on rack in smoker; cover with lid and smoke 5 hours, feeding with a few charcoal briquets at a time to maintain cooking temperature; baste with remaining oil evry hour, working quickly so as not to disperse heat in smoker. Test internal temperature, it should be at 130-135 degrees. Place meat in a large Dutch oven, add remaining 1/2 cup wine and simmer 45 minutes longer, or until internal temperature reaches 165-170 degrees. Serve hot with gravy or refrigerate and serve cold. Venison gravy: cut bacon in small pieces and saute to render fat; stir in flour, add pan juices and broth gradually, stirring until smooth and thickened; taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Smoked Venison and Wild Mushroom Toast Ingredients: Serves: 2 Smoked Venison 200g Mushrooms, wiped and sliced 1 tbsp Olive oil 2 shallots, finely sliced 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced 1 tsp chopped rosemary 1 tbsp whisky 2 tbsp mascarpone 4 slices Baguette, toasted Salt and pepper Preparation method: Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 15 mins Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and throw in the mushrooms. Stir for 5 minutes then remove to a plate. Lower the heat and add the shallots and garlic. Cook gently for 5 minutes until softened then add the rosemary and cook for a further minute. Add the whisky and bubble to reduce Return the mushrooms to the pan, add mascarpone and a good grinding of salt and pepper and mix to combine. Remove from the heat. Place the toast on a baking tray, top each with venison slices, then a spoonful of the mushroom mixture and place under a hot grill for a minute until bubbling.

Smoked Venison Loin with Pickles and Cumberland Sauce Ingredients: For the pickled vegetables 12 baby beetroots 12 baby carrots 12 baby turnips For the pickling liquor: 200ml/7fl oz sherry vinegar 200ml/7fl oz Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar 200ml/7fl oz groundnut oil 200ml/7fl oz extra virgin olive oil caster sugar, to taste For the Cumberland sauce: 2 oranges, zest and juice 1 lemon, zest and juice 1 shallot, finely chopped 25g/1oz piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated 25g/1oz butter 150ml/5fl oz port 1 tsp Dijon mustard 400g/14oz redcurrant jelly 1 tbsp soft green peppercorns For the venison: 250g/9oz loin of smoked Tatton venison or similar (available at some farmers' markets and farm shops) selection of exotic baby salad leaves 12 pickled walnuts to garnish

Preparation method Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Wrap the beetroots in foil, then roast for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Peel the beetroots if necessary. Blanch the carrots and turnips separately in boiling water for three minutes, then drain and refresh. Combine all the ingredients for the pickling liquor. Taste and add a little sugar if too bitter. Divide among three separate containers; put the beetroots in one, the turnips in another and the carrots in the last. Cover and leave to marinate for at least two hours, but ideally for 24 hours. To make the Cumberland sauce, blanch the orange and lemon zests in boiling water for one minute, then drain. Gently fry the shallot and ginger in the butter for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add the blanched zest, juices, port and mustard, stirring, and bring to the boil. Cook until the volume is reduced by half. Add the redcurrant jelly and peppercorns and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until the jelly melts into the sauce. Allow to cool.

Smoked Venison, Rocket and Cream Cheese Roulade Ingredients: Makes: 20 canapés 200g Cold Smoked Venison 200g cream cheese 100g fresh rocket 75ml (2 1/2 fl oz) double cream Salt and pepper to taste Preparation method Prep: 10 mins | Extra time: 2 hours, chilling Roughly chop the rocket and mix well with the cream cheese and cream. Season well. Lay the slices of smoked venison on a sheet of cling film, overlapping slightly so that the number of slices make the square equivalent to the length of the slices. This may be easiest done as two squares. Spread the cream cheese mixture on the bottom two thirds of the squares and roll into a roulade, pulling back the cling film as you go. Chill for a couple of hours then cut into 1cm pieces

Venison Jerky Making jerky at home is easy! If you have a real dehydrator, toss your marinated venison strips in there overnight; otherwise, an oven on its lowest setting works just fine. Ingredients: 3 pounds venison, frozen 1 hour, cut into extremely thin strips ½ cup Worcestershire sauce ½ cup soy sauce ¼ cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon cinnamon Method: Combine all ingredients in a large plastic bag; mix well and seal. Refrigerate 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. Preheat oven to lowest temperature possible, around 200°F. Remove meat from marinade; drain well. Place strips directly on oven racks. Prop oven door ajar with balled up aluminum foil. Cook until venison strips are sufficiently dried, from 12 to 24 hours.

Venison Soup with Currant Relish Ingredients: Serves: 6 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 300 g (10½ oz) minced venison 8 juniper berries, crushed 90 ml (3 fl oz) red wine 140 g (5 oz) potato, peeled and diced 200 g (7 oz) celeriac, diced, weighed when peeled 150 g (5½ oz) swede, diced, weighed when peeled 125 g (4½ oz) carrot, diced 1 litre (1¾ pints) beef stock, preferably home-made salt and pepper chopped parsley or fresh coriander to garnish 24 oatcakes (1 packet, about 250 g) Blackcurrant relish 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 large shallots, each cut into 8 wedges 16 juniper berries, crushed 3 tbsp caster sugar 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 150 g (5½ oz) fresh or frozen blackcurrants Method: Prep: 55 mins | Cook: 1 hour Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and is starting to brown. Add the venison and juniper berries and cook over a high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up the meat, until it has browned. Stir in the red wine, potato, celeriac, swede, carrot, stock and seasoning to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer 89

the soup gently for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the blackcurrant relish. Heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the shallots have softened. Stir in the juniper berries, sugar, vinegar and 4 tbsp water, then boil rapidly for 5–7 minutes or until well reduced. Stir in the blackcurrants and cook for a further 2–4 minutes or until the mixture forms a pulpy relish. Leave to cool. Purée the soup in a food processor or blender. Return it to the pan and reheat gently. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and top each portion with a spoonful of blackcurrant relish. Scatter chopped parsley or coriander over the top and serve with oatcakes and the remaining relish.

Venison Cottage Pie Ingredients: Serves: 6 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) potatoes, peeled and cubed 100 ml (3½ fl oz) semi-skimmed milk Freshly ground nutmeg, to taste Salt and black pepper 3 rashers of rind less streaky bacon, chopped 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced venison 150 g (5½ oz) carrots, coarsely grated 1 stick of celery, chopped 400 g (14 oz) leeks, sliced 125 g (4½ oz) mushrooms, sliced 150 g (5½ oz) canned sweetcorn, drained 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs 2 tablespoons plain wholemeal flour 300 ml (10 fl oz) stock, or half water and half ale 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons dried white or brown breadcrumbs Method: Prep: 35 mins | Cook: 1 hour Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the potatoes and a pinch of salt and boil until tender. Drain well and mash them until smooth. Beat in the milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste then set aside. Heat a large non-stick frying pan and dry-fry the bacon until it is lightly browned and some fat starts to run. Add the venison, raise the heat and stir-fry until the meat is crumbly and browned. Stir in the carrots, celery, leeks and mushrooms, cover the pan and let the vegetables sweat for 5 minutes, or until softened. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 190°C (357°F, gas mark 5). Add the sweetcorn and herbs to the pan and stir in the flour. Continue 91

cooking for 1 minute, then stir in the stock or water and ale mixture, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce and season to taste. Bring to the boil, stirring, then simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Put the mixture into a shallow, 1.5 litre (2# pint) pie dish. Spoon the mashed potato over the meat, roughing up the top slightly. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and place the dish on a baking sheet. Cook for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Remove the pie from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes, then serve.

Smoked Venison Penne Ingredients: Serves: 4 250g Penne pasta 125ml double cream 2 shallots, chopped 150g mushrooms, wiped 1 garlic clove, chopped 2 egg yolks 25g Parmesan cheese Handful flat leaf parsley Method: Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 10 mins Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add shallots, mushroom and garlic and fry till the shallots are cooked and golden. Toss in strips of Cold Smoked Venison. Take the pan off the heat. In the meantime, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Mix the cream and egg yolks in a bowl and season to taste. Add the egg and cream mixture to the shallots and mushrooms, then toss in the drained pasta. Add chopped parsley and stir through. Garnish with some extra Cold Smoked Venison and top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Juicy Venison Burgers Ingredients: Serves: 4 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon 225g minced venison 225g lean minced beef 1 pinch coarse sea salt 1 pinch fresh ground black pepper 2 tablespoons stout 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce 4 burger buns split Method: Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 20 mins Place the bacon in a large, deep frying pan and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon on a kitchen paper-lined plate. Combine minced venison and beef in a bowl. Divide into 4 balls, and flatten into burgers. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Place the burgers in the heated frying pan and sprinkle each burger with salt, black pepper, a dash of stout and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Flip the burgers once a brown crust has formed on the bottom, about 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle the cooked side of the burgers with the salt, pepper, stout and Worcestershire. Cook burgers another 5 to 10 minutes for well done. Top each burger with bacon and serve on burger buns.

Barbecue Venison with Lime and Coriander Butter Ingredients: Makes: 4 115g butter, softened 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander 2 tablespoons steak seasoning 1 tablespoon chili powder 4 (225g) venison steaks Method: Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 10 mins Beat together the butter, lime juice and coriander in a small bowl until well combined. Transfer the butter mixture onto a large piece of cling film, gently wrap and form the butter into a log. Freeze until ready to use. Prepare a barbecue for medium-high heat. Mix together the steak seasoning and chilli powder in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning blend onto both sides of the venison steaks. Barbecue the steaks to preferred doneness, 5 to 8 minutes per side for medium. Top each steak with a slice of the lime-coriander butter to serve.

BBQ Bacon Wrapped Venison Ingredients: Serves: 4 900g venison loin cut into 5cm chunks 1 litre apple cider 675g thickly sliced streaky bacon 680ml barbecue sauce Method: Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 20 mins | Extra time: 2 hours, marinating Place chunks of venison into a shallow baking dish and pour enough apple cider in to cover them. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove and pat dry. Discard apple cider and return venison to the dish. Pour barbecue sauce over the chunks, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 more hours. Preheat an outdoor barbecue for high heat. Remove meat from the refrigerator and let stand for 30 minutes or until no longer chilled. Wrap each chunk of venison in a rasher of bacon and secure with cocktail sticks. Brush the cooking grate with olive oil when hot and place venison pieces on the barbecue so they are not touching. The bacon will kick up some flames, so be ready. Barbecue, turning occasionally, until the bacon becomes slightly burnt, 15 to 20 minutes.

Crunchy Breaded Venison Escallops Ingredients: Serves: 4 215g dry seasoned breadcrumbs 60g plain flour Salt and black pepper to taste 2 eggs 2 tablespoons milk 4 (175g) venison steaks, pounded to 5mm thick 125ml vegetable oil Method: Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 15 mins Combine the breadcrumbs, flour, salt and pepper in a large plastic resealable bag. Beat the eggs and milk together in a shallow bowl. Dip each steak in the egg mixture, place it in the plastic bag and shake to coat with crumbs. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the steaks, turning once, until both sides are golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes per side.

Venison and Vegetable Soup Ingredients: Serves: 6 900g minced venison 1 onion, chopped 1 parsnip, sliced 3 potatoes, cubed 3 carrots, sliced 1/2 swede, peeled and cubed 1 (400g) tin whole plum peeled tomatoes, with liquid 3 cubes beef stock 700ml water 1/2 medium head cabbage, coarsely chopped 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Method: Prep: 25 mins | Cook: 2 hours 20 mins Brown venison and onions in a large pot over medium heat. Mix in onion, parsnip, potatoes, carrots, swede, tomatoes, stock cubes, water, cabbage, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 1 to 2 hours.

Game Bird Hunting In Britain, hunting with hounds was popular in Celtic Britain before the Romans arrived, using the Agassaei breed. The Romans brought their Castorian and Fulpine hound breeds to England, along with importing the brown hare (the mountain hare is native) and fallow deer as quarry. Wild boar was also hunted. The earliest known attempt to hunt a fox with hounds was in Norfolk, in the East of England, in 1534, where farmers began chasing down foxes with their dogs as a form of pest control. Packs of hounds were first trained specifically to hunt foxes in the late 17th century, with the oldest such fox hunt likely to be the Bilsdale in Yorkshire. By the end of the 17th century, many organised packs were hunting both hare and fox. Shotguns were improved during the 18th and 19th centuries and game shooting became more popular. To protect the Commo pheasants for the shooters, gamekeepers culled vermin such as foxes, magpies and birds of prey almost to extirpation in popular areas, and landowners improved their coverts and other habitats for game. Game Laws were relaxed in 1831 which meant anyone could obtain a permit to take rabbits, hares and gamebirds. Hunting was formerly a royal sport, and to an extent shooting still is, with many Kings and Queens being involved in hunting and shooting, including King Edward VII, King George V (who on 18 December 1913 shot over a thousand pheasants out of a total bag of 3937), King George VI and the present-day Prince Philip, although Queen Elizabeth II does not shoot. Shooting on the large estates of Scotland was particularly popular. This trend is generally attributed to the Victorians who were inspired by the romantic imagery of the Scottish Highlands. 99

The shooting of game birds, in particular pheasant, is a popular sport in the UK, on large, traditional driven shoots on estates and on small-scale rough shoots. Shooting of game birds is carried out using a shotgun, most often 12 and 20 bore or a .410 often on land managed by a gamekeeper. Game birds are shot in different ways: Driven Game shooting, where beaters are employed to walk through woods and over moors or fields, dependent on the quarry and time of year and drive game towards a line of 8 - 10 standing guns standing about 50 or 60 meters apart. The guns will have paid in the region of £25 per bird for pheasants and much more for grouse, and the total bag (number of birds shot) will be anywhere between 80 and 400, again dependent on the budget.The day may be very formal, and the head gamekeeper or a shoot captain will oversee proceedings and great emphasis is placed on safety. Pickersup with dogs are also employed to make sure all shot or wounded game is collected. On such estates, large numbers of pheasants, partridge and duck, but not grouse, are reared and released to provide sufficient numbers of game. Grouse cannot be reared intensively but the heather moorland where they live is intensively managed to maximise numbers. Rough shooting, where several guns walk through a woodland, moor or field and shoot the birds their dogs put up, is increasingly popular. It is less formal and may be funded by several people grouping together to form a "syndicate", paying a certain amount each year towards pheasants, habitat maintenance, etc. Wildfowling is often a lonely and uncomfortable sport. A single gun sits in pursuit of wildfowl by a body of water, or on the coastal foreshore, often at dawn or dusk, and waits for birds to "flight" in. This is sometimes undertaken in total darkness or by the light of the 100

moon. Duck is also shot on the two former methods. Upland hunting is an American term for a form of bird hunting in which the hunter pursues upland birds including qual, pheasant and grouse. Upland birds tend to be found on the ground in heavy cover, so hunters generally employ the use of trained gun dogs to locate and retrieve the game. Depending upon their method of work, some dogs point game and some flush game. When flushed, either by the hunter or the dog, the hunter then attempts to shoot the birds on the wing. This is also known as wing shooting. Upland hunting encompasses some of the activities that takes place in rough shooting in the UK. Equipment: Upland hunters use all types of shotguns from break-breach guns to semi-automatics, and .410 bore through to 12 gauge. The quintessential shotgun for upland hunting is a double barrel shotgun in a smaller gauge such as a 16, 20 or 28 gauge. Upland guns can be extremely valuable, often commanding many thousands of dollars. Gun Dogs: Upland hunter traditionally walks when finding game. Because of the large area that must be covered in order to find their quarry many hunters employ specially designed hunting buggies to haul gear and kennels for fresh dogs. Upland hunters work specially trained gun dogs to find game. Spaniels and pointing breeds are used most often, though retrievers are worked with considerable success when hunting pheasant in many areas. Location: Upland hunting takes place primarily in open fields which provide cover for the birds. 101

Pheasant is probably the most popular of the game birds and are at their best in November to January. Cooking: It is best to hang your pheasant for one to four weeks according to weather and taste. A young cock pheasant has rounded spurs with no points in its first year; short but pointed when two years old; after that sharp and long. A young hen has soft feet whilst an older bird has hard rough feet. A pheasant will serve 2, 3 or 4 persons depending on its size. Young birds are excellent roasted but it is advisable to casserole an old bird. Pheasants are prone to drying out rather quickly so a generous rub of butter into the breast and leg followed by a slice or two of streaky bacon will help protect the meat from the fierce heat of the oven whilst adding extra fat and moisture. A sprig of thyme or rosemary tucked in under the bacon will impart extra flavour, as would a clove of garlic left to roast in the cavity. Unlike most other game birds, a pheasant will comfortably feed four people based on a weight of 2 ½ lb./1 ¼ kilos, the ratio of meat to carcass is high so look out for fresh ones around Christmas time is when the younger birds have had a chance to fatten and are the best for plain roasting.

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The Pheasant

Pheasant common name for some members of a family (Phasianidae) of henlike birds related to the grouse and including the Old-World partridge, the peacock, various domestic and jungle fowls, and the true pheasants (genus). Pheasants are characterized by their wattled heads and long tails and by the brilliant plumage and elaborate courtship displays of the male. They are all indigenous to, chiefly the English pheasant, introduced from the area before 1056, has been interbred with both the Chinese ringnecked and the Japanese pheasants, and the hybrid ringnecked pheasant, is established as a common game bird in the N United States. It eats berries, seeds, young shoots, and insects and prefers open country with brush cover. The body of the male ring-necked pheasant is mostly reddish brown, the head and neck an iridescent dark green, the face red, and the neck ringed with white. The protectively coloured hen is distinguished from the grouse by her long tail. The closely related ruffed grouse is called pheasant in the central and S United States. Asian pheasants of great beauty are the argus, the golden, the silver, and the Lady Amherst. Pheasants are classified in the phylum, subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Galliformes, family Phasianid Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae (Horsfield 1821) subfamily of Phasianedae in the order Galliformes. Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being 103

highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have longer tails. Males play no part in rearing the young. Pheasants typically eat seeds and some insects. The best-known is the Common Pheasant, which is widespread throughout the world in introduced feral populations and in farm operations. Various other pheasant species are popular in aviaries, such as the Golden Phesant (Chrysolophus pictus). Pheasant hunting is considered by many to be the most popular and enjoyable branch of the bird hunting domain and it has been that way for several centuries. It all started back in the 10th century when the birds were brought for the first time to the European continent. Despite the fact that the situation has changed in a significant manner in comparison to the early days of this sport, our long-lasting passion for bagging these birds has remained the same, and some of us enjoy it even more than we did a couple of years ago. It is common knowledge, the pheasants are native to the Asian continent but over the last several centuries, they have been widely introduced in other places as well, where they are bred mostly for hunting purposes and are shot in rather significant numbers each and every year. In Britain, the pheasant was brought into the country during the 10th century but several centuries later, in the 1600s, it became extinct. However, it was later reintroduced in the 1830s and is now widespread with no chance of extinction in the near future. Regular reintroduction to country estates and rural areas has made the pheasant an exceptionally variable species in regards to its size and plumage.

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Pheasant Recipes

Pheasant Soup Ingredients: 1 old pheasant egg yolk carrots leek ¼ pt cream Bouquet Garni 2 onions oz brown breadcrumbs 2 sticks celery Method: Joint the bird and place in a pan with vegetables and herbs. Simmer for 4 to 5 hours. Mince the breast meat, mix with the breadcrumbs, season and bind with the egg yolk. Shape into small balls. Remove the bones and vegetables from the stock, add the meat balls and simmer for 20 minutes. Just before serving, add the cream.

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Pheasant Pate Ingredients: 1 pheasant 4 fluid ozs brandy 1lb fat pork ½ lb lean pork 1 egg Aspic or jellied stock 1 clove garlic Seasoning Pinch of thyme 1 bay leaf Method: Remove all the meat from the pheasant and mince it with the lean pork, half and fat pork and bird’s liver. Add the thyme, crushed garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Mix well, add the brandy and beaten egg and mix again. Line a terrine or earthenware casserole with thin strips of fat pork. Press the mixture into the terrine, place the bay leaf on the top and cover with more thin strips of pork fat. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 ½ hours. When cold remove from terrine and remove bay leaf and pork. Wash and dry terrine and return pate to it. Pour over aspic or jellied stock made from the pheasant bones

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Pheasant Broth with Wild Rice Ingredients: Serves: 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, quartered 1 large carrot, about 115 g (4 oz), thickly sliced 1 celery stick, thickly sliced large sprig of parsley 1 sprig of fresh thyme 2 bay leaves garlic cloves, halved 150 ml (5 fl oz) red wine 2 cooked pheasant carcasses 55 g (2 oz) mixed wild rice and brown rice 15 g (½ oz) dried porcini mushrooms 115 g (4 oz) chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg Salt and pepper To garnish: Finely shredded zest of ½ orange Fresh thyme leaves Method: Prep: 1 hour | Cook: 3 hours Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes or until browned. Tie the parsley, thyme and bay leaves together into a bouquet garni and add to the pan with the garlic and red wine. Boil rapidly for 1 minute. Cut any meat from the pheasant carcasses and reserve. Break up the carcasses, then add to the saucepan together with 2 litres (3 1/2 pints) of cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours. Strain the stock and refrigerate overnight. Skim off any fat from the stock, then bring to the boil and cook rapidly for 15–20 minutes or until it has reduced to 1.2 litres (2 pints). Add the rice and reserved pheasant meat and stir well, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice grains are just tender. 107

Meanwhile, pour boiling water over the dried porcini mushrooms and soak for 20 minutes to rehydrate. Lift them out of the soaking water, dry on kitchen paper and chop finely. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a sauté pan and cook the chestnut mushrooms over a moderate heat for 3 minutes or until lightly golden. Add the porcini and cook for a further 1 minute. When the rice is tender, add the cooked mushrooms and season with nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnishing each bowl of soup with a few shreds of orange zest and thyme leaves.

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Pheasant Breasts with Port and Herbs Ingredients: Serves 4 1 cock pheasant 1 onion Large handful of chopped marjoram or 12 finely chopped sage leaves Port 4 medium sized mushrooms 1 oz (25g) butter 1 tablespoon flour 100 ml (4 fluid oz) chicken stock 4 rashers back bacon 3 egg yolks Method: Remove the legs and breasts from the pheasant carcass and put the breasts to one side. Strip the meat from the legs, strip off any meat that remains on the carcass and chop it all into small pieces. Mix the meat with the marjoram or sage and well chopped onion. Place the mixture in a small casserole dish, season and cover with port. Cook gently until a sharp fork will slide easily into the meat (20–30 minutes). Strain the liquid from the casserole into a small saucepan and retain. Slice the mushrooms and cook them in the butter. Stir in flour to absorb the butter and juices and add the stock to make a fairly thick sauce. Combine the sauce with the cooked leg meat and keep hot. Divide both of the two raw pheasant breasts into two, wrap the four pieces of meat in the bacon and place them in a small greased roasting tin. Roast them for about 15 minutes. To make the coating sauce, beat the egg yolks into the liquid retained in the saucepan and heat gently, stirring all the time until thickened. Spoon the leg meat mixture onto a serving dish, place the breasts on top and cover with the coating sauce. 109

Gamekeepers Trio of Birds, Red Wine & Mushroom Pie Ingredients: (serves 4) Assorted birds, off-the-bone pigeon, pheasant, ½ pint (284 ml) red wine duck, etc diced and seasoned in flour ½ pint (284 ml) game or chicken stock 3 tbsp olive oil bay leaf tied with stalks of parsley and 1 stalk of thyme 1 oz (28g) butter 4 shallots, finely chopped 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley 1 carrot, peeled and cut into sticks salt and freshly ground black pepper 5 oz (142g) mushrooms 1 beaten egg 1 tbsp flour 1 pkt of good quality butter puff pastry Method: Cut the pheasant meat into quite large dice pieces and dust in a little seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a saucepan and quickly cover the pheasant cubes, cooking in batches to ensure that the oil stays hot. Set aside the sealed pheasant and other bird pieces and add the butter to the pan. Gently fry the shallots and carrots until soft before adding the mushrooms. Once coloured, add a tablespoon of plain flour and continue to cook for another couple of minutes. Gradually stir in the wine, allow it to bubble up and thicken and then add the pheasant dice, stock and herbs, tied together with a piece of 110

string so they are easy to fish out later. Bring up to the boil and then simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove the herbs. Quickly fry the remaining mushrooms and add the chopped parsley. Pre heat the oven to 190c/375f/Gas 5. Transfer the pheasant casserole to a pie dish, adding a little more stock if necessary. Roll out the pastry. Place a narrow band of pastry around the pie dish rim, brush with water and then place the pastry sheet over. Press firmly around the rim with a fork and prick a few holes in the main crust. Brush with egg wash and bake for 40 minutes or until golden.

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Pheasant Flan with Gooseberries Ingredients: Serves 4 - 5 Short pastry flan case, about 10 inches diameter A cooked pheasant Gooseberries, fresh or in jar, about 1 ½ cupful 1 medium onion or large shallot 1 level dessertspoon of juniper berries 1 heaped tablespoon pine kernels Sherry, or if you have some open, Muscat dessert wine 1½ oz butter 1 tablespoon flour Stock Method: Chop the onion roughly and fry gently in the butter for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the gooseberries, crushed juniper berries and pine kernels and continue to cook gently for a further minute or so. Break the pheasant meat into quite small pieces and add them to the pan - you will probably not need to use the whole pheasant. Sprinkle on the flour, stirring all the time, and cook for a further ½ minute. Add a small glass of sherry or Muscat, and then enough stock to bind the mixture in a thickened sauce. Taste, season if necessary and set on one side. Cook the pastry flan case ‘blind’ and allow to cool. Re-heat the pan containing the pheasant mixture, pile into the flan case, and place in the bottom oven. Leave it there for at least ½ hour while you prepare the accompanying vegetables.

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Pheasant Mousse Ingredients: 8 oz cooked pheasant, preferably breast 2 eggs 3 oz ham 2 tablespoons dry sherry ¼ pt very thick white sauce ¼ pt double cream 2 oz butter Pinch of nutmeg Grated rind of lemon Peas, parsley, carrot truffle Seasoning Method: Mince the pheasant and ham together and mix with thick white sauce. Add the beaten eggs and butter – softened, sherry, lemon rind and seasoning. Mix well and fold in the stiffly whipped cream. Grease a plain mould with oil and decorate with the truffles. Pour in the pheasant mixture and cover with greased paper. Place in a pan of hot water and cook in a low oven – 325 degrees - until firm to touch

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Pheasant in Red Wine Ingredients: 2 pheasants 4 shallots tablespoons olive oil tablespoons butter 1pt. Burgundy 8 oz mushrooms 1 tablespoon flour Seasoning Method: Chop the shallots and the birds’ livers finely, mix together and place in the cavity of each bird. Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large thick pan and sauté pheasants gently until they are golden brown. Place the pheasants in a casserole and keep warm. Put red wine and mushrooms and onions in the pan and boil until reduced by half. Thicken the sauce with the remaining butter and flour. Saute the mushrooms and onions, place round the birds and pour the sauce over. Cover the casserole and cook in a moderate oven for 1½ - 2 hours.

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Roast Pheasant Ingredients: 1 or 2 pheasant large or 2 small onions Fat bacon for larding Method: Draw and truss the bird Insert half an onion in the bird, also a piece of fat bacon or a knob of butter. Wrap the bird in fat bacon and place in a covered tin, or wrap loosely in foil Place in hot oven for 30 minutes, reduce to 350o and cook for about 40 minutes longer depending on the size of the bird. Make a gravy from stock in which the giblets have been cooked. Serve with bacon rolls, bread sauce, red currant jelly, game chips and watercress.

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Roast Pheasant with Sherry and Mustard Sauce Use only young pheasants for roasting older birds are too tough and only suitable for casseroles. Serve with potatoes braised in wine with garlic and onions, Brussel sprouts and bread sauce. Ingredients (Serves four) young oven-ready pheasants 200ml/7fl oz/scant 1 cup sherry 15ml/1 tbsp Dijon mustard 50g/2oz/1/4 cup softened butter Salt and ground black pepper Method: Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6. Put the pheasants in a roasting pan and spread the butter all over both birds. Season with salt and pepper. Roast the pheasants for 50 minutes, basting often to stop the birds from drying out. When the pheasants are cooked, take them out of the pan and leave to rest on a board, covered with foil. Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over a medium heat. Add the sherry and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes, until the sherry has slightly reduced, then stir in the mustard. Carve the pheasants and serve with the sherry and mustard sauce.

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Stewed Pheasant with Onions Ingredients: 1 pheasant 12 shallots or small onions 2 egg yolks ½ cup of cream 2 oz butter 2 oz flour teaspoon lemon juice Seasoning Method: Joint the pheasant and cook in a little stock with the onions. Remove the joints when tender and reduce the stock. Make a roux with the butter and flour, add the stock and cook out. Remove from the heat and add the cream and lemon juice. Pour the sauce over the pheasant and onions and serve.

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Pheasant with Grapes and Kiwi Fruit Ingredients: serves 4 pheasants 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil 2 sticks celery 2 medium onions 1/2 pint (285 ml) red wine 1 sprig rosemary Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 kiwi fruit 8 oz (225 g) black grapes Method: Skin the pheasants and cut them into wing and leg joints. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole and fry the joints over a high heat for a few minutes until thoroughly browned. Then remove them from the casserole and put to one side. Chop the celery sticks and peel and chop the onions. Add them to the casserole and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and bring to the boil, then add the rosemary and replace the pheasant joints. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the casserole dish and cook in the oven for 2 hours, until the pheasant is quite tender. Peel the kiwi fruit, and cut it into 1/2 in (15 mm) cubes. Halve and deseed the grapes. Remove the casserole from the oven, lift out the pheasant joints onto the heated serving dish and keep warm. Remove the rosemary sprig. Tip the celery, onions and grapes into a liquidiser, blending until smooth. Sieve the mixture into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and add the fruit. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the pheasant joints and serve immediately.

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Pheasant Ravioli Ingredients: Serves 4 400g “00” flour 4 large Free-Range Eggs pinch Salt Semolina flour for holding the ravioli 4 Pheasant thighs, boned and chopped 1 Shallot, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 glass White Wine splash Double Cream Salt & Pepper 200ml Fresh Chicken Stock 1 Shallot, finely chopped 1 clove Garlic, finely chopped 4 sprigs Rosemary 200ml Double Cream 50ml Scotch Whisky Salt & Pepper Method: Make your filling first. Gently sauté the onion and garlic until soft, add the pheasant and white wine. Gently simmer until pheasant is just cooked. Transfer meat and vegetables to a Magi-mix and blend with the cream to a smooth paste. Cool. Keep the cooking liquid for sauce. To make the pasta, put flour, eggs and salt in the Magi-mix and blend until dough comes together. You may need to knead a bit more flour in if its very sticky. Start rolling the dough through the pasta machine, always keeping it dusted with flour. On setting 1, run a small piece of dough through, then immediately fold into three. Run through the machine in the opposite direction to the previous time. Repeat three times, and then move to setting 2. Do exactly the same as on setting 1. On settings 3, 4 and 5 don’t fold the pasta at all. 119

As soon as you have a flat strip, dot the filling down the centre with 1cm spacing until halfway along the sheet. Using a pastry brush, dampen around the filling, and then fold over the other side of the pasta sheet to cover the filling. Press each ravioli individually from the centre of the filling, outwards, to remove any air pockets. Stamp out with a cookie cutter or cut around the ravioli with a knife. When each ravioli is made put into a deep dish and cover it with semolina flour so that they don’t all stick together. For the sauce, sauté off the shallot and garlic as before. Add a touch of the wine from cooking the pheasant, then the stock, cream and rosemary. Reduce until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove the rosemary, season and add the whisky. Keep warm. Blanch your ravioli in boiling salted water and remove into a bowl. Mix the sauce with the ravioli and serve with grated parmesan and some rocket salad.

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Pheasant with Apples Ingredients: serves 4 1 cooking apple, peeled and cored 2 hen pheasants pork fat or 6 rashers streaky bacon, rinded few sprigs of thyme 1 onion 2 tbsps Calvados (apple brandy) or brandy 1 1/2 oz (40 g) unsalted butter 4 eating apples, peeled and cored 5 fl oz/150 ml single cream Method: Place 1/2 cooking apple inside each pheasant. Cover birds with a thin layer of pork fat or bacon rashers and secure with string. Place pheasant on a rack in a roasting tin and pour a little boiling water into the tin. Add a few sprigs of thyme and an unpeeled and halved onion to the water. Cover the whole tin with foil and bake at Mark 3 (160°C) 325°F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and fat. Increase the oven temperature to Mark 5 (190°C) 375°F for 35 minutes to brown the breast. Remove birds and keep warm Spoon off fat from roasting juices, add Calvados to deglaze. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the apples and sauté gently for 5 to 10 minutes until softened. Add the roasting juices and the Calvados. Stir in the cream and warm gently. Pour over pheasant and serve immediately. 121

Casserole of Pheasant with Chestnuts and Orange Preparation time: 20 minutes, Cooking time : 1 hour, Oven : Preheat to 160°C (325°F, gas mark 3), Ingredients: serves 6 1 brace oven-ready pheasants 500 g can whole chestnuts in water or 1 lb (450 g) fresh chestnuts 1 medium onion 3 oz (75 g) butter 2 tablespoons plain flour 1 pint (570 ml) chicken or game stock 1 tablespoon redcurrant jelly Juice and finely grated rind of 1 orange 1 teaspoon wine vinegar Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 bay leaf Orange slices for garnish Method: Cut each pheasant into 4 pieces with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors. If using fresh chestnuts, score a cross on the side of each nut with a sharp, pointed knife. Drop the scored chestnuts into boiling water and leave for 2 minutes. Drain and peel away the shells and skin. Finely chop the onion. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the pheasant pieces and cook for about 3 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer the pheasant to a lidded casserole dish. The pheasant stays moist in this delicious casserole. Add the onion to the hot butter and cook until it is lightly golden. Stir122

fry the chestnuts with the onion for 2 minutes and then transfer to the casserole dish using a draining spoon. Mix the flour with the residue in the saucepan and leave to bubble and lightly brown for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Stir in the redcurrant jelly, orange juice, grated orange rind and wine vinegar. Pour all the contents of the saucepan over the pheasant, season and add the bay leaf. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Transfer the pheasant pieces, onion and chestnuts to a hot serving dish. Strain the cooking juices over the finished dish, garnish with orange slices, and serve.

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Larded Breast of Pheasant Ingredients: serves 4-6 2 young pheasants, each weighing 1 kg (2 1/4 lbs) 1 tsp salt 2 good pinches white pepper 2 fresh sprigs sage or 1 tsp dried sage 2 tbsp clarified butter 2 oz (50 g) streaky bacon cut very thin 250 g (9 oz) chestnuts 2 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp (1 oz) 25 g butter Method: Wash and dry pheasants, then rub well inside with salt and pepper. Rinse and dry fresh sage, or crush dried variety. Rub half the sage inside pheasants. Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) Gas Mark 7. Heat clarified butter and brown pheasants over high heat for 5 minutes. Place them in roasting pan, sprinkle with remaining fat from pan, then cover breasts with bacon rashers and roast in oven for 30 minutes. Cut a cross just through skins of chestnuts and cook them in rapidly boiling water for 20 minutes. Remove pheasants from oven and allow to cool. Rinse chestnuts under cold water and then peel. Caramelise sugar in butter until light brown, add chestnuts and glaze, stirring until they are evenly coated with syrup. Put aside to cool. Cut breast portions from pheasants, putting aside remainder of birds to be used in other dishes. Carve breast meat with bacon layer in slices 1.2 cm (1/2 in) thick, arrange on serving dish with glazed chestnuts and scatter with remaining sage.

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Pheasant and Pork Pâté Ingredients: serves 8 - 10 brace of pheasants, cleaned 1 small onion 1 celery stalk 2 bay leaves salt pepper 25 g (1 oz) gelatine 8 oz (225 g) fat pork clarified butter Method: Put the pheasants into a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then drain and skin the pheasants. Return to the pan, cover with fresh cold water and add the onion, celery, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour. Remove the pheasants from the pan and strip the meat from the carcasses. Return the meat to the pan and simmer for a further 1 hour. Remove the pheasant meat and strain the cooking liquid. Reserve 150 ml (1/4 pint) of the liquid and dissolve the gelatine in it. When completely dissolved, add to the remaining liquid. Mince the pheasant meat with the fat pork and stir into the gelatine mixture. Turn into a baking dish. Cover with buttered paper and bake in a preheated moderately hot oven 200°C (400°F) Gas Mark 6 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Allow the pate to cool, and then cover the top with clarified butter.

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Normandy Pheasant Casserole Ingredients: serves 8 4 pheasants, breasts removed 2 onions 3 medium cooking (tart) apples, peeled, cored and sliced salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 bottle white wine 1/4 cup (1 oz) 30 g flour fruit jelly, such as blackberry, crab apple or redcurrant (optional) a little Calvados or brandy (optional) Method: Heat the oven to 425°F/220°C/gas mark 7. Flatten out the debreasted pheasants as much as you can and place them skin side uppermost in a large roasting tin. Roast in the oven for about 45 - 60 minutes, until the skin is nicely brown. Transfer the pheasants to a large flameproof casserole. Skim the fat from the roasting tin and reserve it, and add the remaining liquid to the casserole. Add the onions, apples, seasoning and wine to the casserole and bring to a full rolling boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Lower the oven temperature to 325°F/160°C/gas mark 3 and cook the pheasants until the leg meat is tender when tested with a knife, about 1-1 1/2 hours or longer if the birds are old. Allow the pheasants to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones in as large pieces as possible and place in a casserole dish. Reduce the juices, onions and apples to a puree in a blender or food processor, then sieve to make sure there are no small bones or shot. 126

There should be about 1 pint (600 ml) of liquid. Put 1 tablespoon of the roasting fat in a pan and blend in the flour. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes, then gradually blend in the pureed cooking liquid and bring to the boil, stirring. Taste and season, adding 1 tablespoon of fruit jelly if the apples were very sharp. Heat through until hot and bubbling. Add a little Calvados to taste, if liked. To serve, pour the sauce over the meat and heat through in the oven.

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Pheasant Breasts Braised in Cider Ingredients: 3 pheasant breasts (young hen breasts if possible as they won't be so tough) 4 large rashers, lightly smoked bacon 500ml/17fl oz dry cider 5 shallots knob of butter 1 tsp caster sugar 30g/1oz plain flour 100ml/7tbsp full fat crème fraiche Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Butter the pheasant breasts and then wrap in the bacon. Place in an ovenproof dish (so that they aren't too cramped together) and then pop in the oven for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes reduce the oven temperature to 170C/325F/Gas 3, pour 250ml/8 fl oz of the cider over the pheasant breasts, cover with a lid or tin foil, and return to the oven for another 60 minutes. Towards the ending of the cooking time for the pheasants, pour the remaining cider into a saucepan and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by about half. Thinly slice the shallots and cook very slowly in a little butter until soft. Then add the caster sugar and continue to cook until lightly caramelised. Remove from the heat until ready to finish the sauce.

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Check the pheasant breasts during the cooking time to ensure that they do not dry out and add more cider if necessary. To finish the sauce, add the flour to the shallots, place the pan back on a gentle heat and mix together. You may need to add a little more butter at this stage if the shallots are very dry, but they shouldn't be. Now add the cider reduction and the crème fraiche and cook together over a low heat until the sauce starts to thicken. Once ready to serve, slice each breast into about five slices and place on the plate still in the shape of the whole breast. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve

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Pheasant Casseroled with Ginger Ingredients: Serves: 4 1 large bulb of fennel, about 300 g (10 1/2 oz) 1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 pheasant, about 1 kg (2 1/4 lb), jointed into 4 or 8 pieces 100 g (3 1/2 oz) shallots or button onions, halved 4 pieces stem ginger, about 115 g (4 oz) in total, cut into thin strips 4 tbsp ginger wine 300 ml (10 fl oz) chicken stock, preferably home-made Salt and pepper Method: Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 1 hour 15 mins Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F, gas mark 5). Trim the fennel, retaining any feathery leaves for the garnish, then cut the bulb lengthways into 8 wedges. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole over a moderately high heat. Add the pheasant joints and shallots or button onions and fry to brown on all sides. Add the fennel wedges. Turn the pheasant joints skin side up and sprinkle over the strips of ginger. Add the ginger wine and enough stock to come halfway up the pheasant joints but not cover them. Season to taste. Bring to the boil, then cover the casserole and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1–1.1/4 hours or until the pheasant is tender. Serve garnished with the reserved fennel leaves.

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Pheasant Breasts with Port Ingredients: Serves: 4 4 boned pheasant breasts, about 150g (5½ oz) each 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 shallots, chopped 200 ml (7 fl oz) ruby port 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 150 ml (5 fl oz) meat stock 1 sprig of fresh thyme 2 purple figs 100 g (3½ oz) redcurrants 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Salt and black pepper To garnish: redcurrants and sprigs of fresh thyme Method: Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 30 mins Remove and discard the skin and any excess fat from the pheasant breasts. Brush a heavy-based non-stick frying pan with the oil and place it over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the pheasant breasts and shallots and brown the meat for 1 minute on each side. Remove the pheasant breasts and set them aside. Add the port and vinegar to the shallots, and then boil to reduce it by about half. Stir in the stock and thyme and return to the boil, then reduce the heat to low. Return the pheasant to the pan cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the breasts are tender: be careful not to overcook them or they will become tough. Meanwhile, cut each fig into eight wedges and strip the redcurrants from their stalks with a fork. 131

When the pheasant juices run clear after a breast is pierced with a knife at its thickest point, remove the meat from the pan and keep it warm. Boil the sauce to reduce it by one-third then stir in the mustard. Add the figs and redcurrants, let them heat through, then adjust the seasoning. Serve the sauce alongside the pheasant, garnished with redcurrants and sprigs of thyme. Variation: if redcurrants are not in season, use frozen ones, defrosted, or 2 tablespoons of redcurrant jelly for the sauce instead.

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Pheasant and Turkey Terrine Ingredients: Serves: 6 400 g (14 oz) whole peeled chestnuts, frozen, vacuum packed or canned and drained 425 ml (15 fl oz) turkey or chicken stock 350 g (12 oz) skinned and boned turkey thighs 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) skinned and boned pheasant breasts 12 large ready-to-eat stoned prunes 5 tablespoons brandy 1 teaspoon allspice berries, ground, or 1½ teaspoons ground allspice Salt and black pepper 150 g (5½ oz) turkey or chicken livers 2 leeks, at least 35 cm (14 in) long 1 egg, beaten 1 tablespoon olive oil 25 g (1 oz) shelled, unsalted pistachio nuts Method: Prep: 3 days 2 hours | Cook: 1 hour 15 mins Put the chestnuts into a saucepan with the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, partially cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the chestnuts are just tender. Drain them, reserving the stock, and leave them to cool. Remove any sinews from the turkey and pheasant. Check the pheasant for lead shot then cut it into long strips about 5 mm (¼ in) wide. Put 200 g (7 oz) of the neatest strips into a bowl, and then add the prunes, 3 tablespoons of the brandy and half the allspice and season to taste. Stir then set aside. Trim any membrane and white tissue from the livers. In a food processor or with a hand-held mixer, finely mince the remaining pheasant, the turkey and the livers. Mix well together, then mince once more and put the mixture into a large bowl. 133

Roughly chop a quarter of the chestnuts and set them aside. Mince the remaining chestnuts and stir them into the minced meats with the remaining brandy and allspice, a little salt and plenty of pepper. Put a kettle on to boil. Trim the leeks to 30 cm (12 in) long, then cut them in half lengthways, discard the fine centre leaves and rinse well under cold running water. Lay them in a roasting tin or frying pan big enough to hold them in a single layer, cover with boiling water and leave for 1-2 minutes until just pliable. Refresh in cold water, separate the leaves and drain on kitchen paper. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4). Lightly oil a non-stick loaf tin, measuring about 22 × 11 × 6 cm (8½ × 4¼ × 2½ in). Working widthways, line the tin with overlapping leeks, allowing the excess to hang over the sides. Strain the brandy from the pheasant and prunes into the bowl of minced meat and stir it in. Add the egg, olive oil, pistachio nuts and 2 tablespoons of the reserved stock from the chestnuts and mix well. Gently stir in the chopped chestnuts – do not overmix or they will break up. Spoon one-third of the mixture into the loaf tin and spread it out evenly. Arrange half the drained prunes, end to end, in a line along the centre, then lay half the pheasant strips on either side of the prunes. Cover the pheasant and prunes with another third of the terrine mixture, then arrange the remaining prunes and pheasant strips on top as before. Spread the rest of the mixture evenly over the top. Put a kettle of water on to boil. Cover the terrine lengthways with a layer of overlapping leek strips, trimming them to fit exactly, then bring the overhanging leek strips over the top.

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Cover the tin tightly with foil and stand it in a small roasting tin. Pour in boiling water to halfway up the side of the loaf tin, then bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre feels hot on the back of your hand. Stand the loaf tin on a large plate, place a small board on top of the foil, then place some heavy weights, or cans of beans, on top. Allow it to cool, then refrigerate for 2-3 days to allow the flavours to mature. Take the terrine out of the refrigerator 1 hour before serving. Remove the foil and drain off any juices. Loosen it by gently running a palette knife between the leeks and the tin, then turn the terrine out, cut into slices and serve. Variation: the terrine can be made with duck and pheasant, goose and duck, all pheasant or all duck.

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Pheasant Mushroom Sauté Ingredients: Makes: 4 15g dried wild mushrooms 15g dried shiitake mushrooms 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pheasant, de-boned, skinned and cut into small chunks 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic 1 teaspoon dried basil 30g butter 4 tablespoons finely chopped shallots 1 Portobello mushroom cap, chopped 3 tablespoons sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder Salt to taste Method: Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 1 hour In a small bowl, reconstitute dried mushrooms in water according to package instructions. Drain and reserve the water. Chop reconstituted mushrooms into small pieces. Heat olive oil in a large heavy frying pan over medium heat. Sauté pheasant meat with garlic and basil until lightly browned. Remove meat from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add butter to oil in frying pan. Sauté shallots, reconstituted mushrooms and Portobello mushroom until golden brown. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and all but 4 tablespoons of the mushroom soaking water. Dissolve arrowroot powder in water and stir into mushroom mixture. Return pheasant meat to frying pan and simmer 30 minutes.

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Smoked Pheasant Breast Ingredients: 4 Pheasant breasts 4 rashers of middle bacon A handful of freshly picked basil Black pepper 1 tablespoon salt Method: Dissolve the tablespoon of salt in a pint of water and stir until dissolved. Place the pheasant breasts in the brine for 4-6 hours. When ready to cook, place the pheasant breasts on the cooking plank, season well with black pepper (remember they’ve been in brine so you don’t need additional salt) place some basil leaves on top and then cover with the bacon taking care to “tuck” the bacon in under the breast. Set your smoker up at 110°C (225°F), cook for 2 hours and you’ll have the most fantastic smoked pheasant that you’ve ever tasted.

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Winter Pheasant Stew Ingredients: Serves: 2 1 pheasant, legs and breasts removed 400ml boiling water 15 whole peppercorns 1 large onion, sliced 100g seasoned flour Olive oil 300ml good red wine (Merlot) 25g butter 1 leek, sliced 100g sliced mushrooms 5 stalks of asparagus 400g sugar snap peas 200g new potatoes 1 bouquet garni (rosemary, sage, parsley, thyme) 200g baby vegetables (carrots, sweetcorn) Good pinch of sea salt Good pinch freshly ground black pepper Method: Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 1 hour 30 mins Pre heat oven to 190 C / Gas 5. Get your butcher to take the legs and the breasts off of your bird for you but keep the rest of the bird as you will need this to make your stock. To your boiling water add your bird carcass, peppercorns and onions. Turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Whilst your stock is cooking take your pheasant pieces and coat with the flour. Put a heavy bottomed frying pan on the heat and add a good glug of olive oil. When the oil comes up to temperature fry the pheasant pieces until golden. 138

Put the pheasant pieces to one side and pour half the red wine into the same pan to de-glaze it. Let this reduce by half. In another pan add the butter and another glug of olive oil. Add the leek and mushrooms, cook on a low heat for 7 minutes and season to taste. Take a casserole dish and put the leek and mushrooms mixture in followed by the pheasant pieces and the reduced red wine. Pour in the remaining red wine and slowly ladle in the stock. Prepare the asparagus by snapping it at its natural breaking point and slicing it in half. Add this, the peas, potatoes and the bouquet garni to the casserole and top up with the stock until all the veg and pheasant are covered. Put a lid on the casserole dish and place in the oven for 1 hour. After 1 hour check the casserole and if needed add more stock and seasoning then cook for a further 30 minutes. Clean the carrots and add to a large pan of boiling salted water, boil for 8 minutes then add the sweetcorn and boil for a further 4 minutes. Take 2 large rustic bowls add a good portion of pheasant casserole into each and spoon in the carrots and sweetcorn. Serve with freshly baked bread and enjoy.

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Pheasant with Leeks and Lentils Ingredients: Serves: 4 1 pheasant, about 900 g (2 lb) each 1/2 orange, halved 1 onion, quartered 4 tsp Dijon mustard 4 sprigs of fresh sage 4 thin slices Parma ham 225 g (8 oz) Puy lentils 200 g (7 oz) leeks, sliced 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 1 garlic clove, crushed 75 g (2 1/2 oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots, quartered 250 ml (8 1/2 fl oz) dry cider 600 ml (1 pint) chicken stock or more if needed, preferably homemade To garnish: Sprigs of fresh thyme and sage 1 orange, quartered Method: Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 1 hour 20 mins Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6). Stuff each bird with a piece of orange and 2 onion quarters. Spread 2 tsp of mustard over the breast of each bird and top with a sprig of sage. Wrap with 2 slices of Parma ham and tie on with string. Put the lentils into a large oval roasting dish with the leeks, the remaining 2 sage sprigs, the thyme sprigs, garlic and apricots. Set the pheasants on top and pour over the cider and 300 ml (10 fl oz) of the chicken stock. Roast for 40 minutes. Heat the remaining stock to boiling and pour over the pheasants. Return to the oven to roast for a further 30–40 minutes, covering with foil to prevent the Parma ham from drying out. Remove the birds from the lentils and test to see if they are cooked 140

by piercing the leg with a sharp knife. The juices that run out should be clear; roast for a little longer if necessary. Set the pheasants aside to rest while you finish cooking the lentils. Stir the lentil mixture. If it seems a little dry, add up to 150 ml (5 fl oz) more hot stock. Return to the oven to cook for a further 10–15 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Carve the pheasants and serve on a bed of lentils, garnished with thyme and sage sprigs and orange wedges.

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The Grouse

Medium to large-sized ‘gamebirds’, grouse are somewhat partridgelike, with rounded bodies, short, broad wings and small heads with stout, arched bills. They feed on shoots, buds and seeds of small shrubs and herbs. Red grouse are especially associated with heather; black grouse prefer a mixture of heather, rushy areas, rough grass and woodland edge, while capercaillies survive best where pine woodland intermingles with boggy heath and plentiful supplies of bilberry, cranberry and crowberry. Black Grouse Latin name: Tetrao tetrix Family: Grouse (Tetraonidae) The all-black males have distinctive red wattle over the eye and show a striking white stripe along each wing in flight. They have a lyreshaped tail which is fanned out and raised to show white under- tail feathers when displaying. The smaller grey-brown females have a slightly notched tail. Habitat loss and overgrazing have resulted in 142

severe population declines which make this a Red List species. Positive habitat management is helping them to increase in some areas. Where to see them: Found in upland areas of Wales, the Pennines and most of Scotland. Best looked for on farmland and moorland with nearby forestry or scattered trees. They have traditional 'lek' sites where the males display. When to see them: All year round What they eat: Buds, shoots, catkins and berries Capercaillie Latin name: Tetrao urogallus Family: Grouse (Tetraonidae) Overview: A huge woodland grouse, the large black males are unmistakable. They spend a lot of time feeding on the ground, but may also be found in trees, feeding on shoots. Localised breeding species, found in Scottish native pinewood, a rare and vulnerable habitat, and in commercial conifer plantations. The UK Capercaillie population has declined so rapidly that it is at very real risk of extinction (for the second time) and is a 'Red List' species. Where to see them: Confined to native pinewoods. When to see them: All year round. What they eat: Berries, shoots and stems.

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Red Grouse Latin name: Lagopus lagopus Family: Grouse (Tetraonidae) Overview: The red grouse is a medium-sized game bird. It has a plump body, a short tail and a lightly hook- tipped bill. It is reddish-brown, with its legs and feet covered in pale feathers. Birds breed in the UK in the uplands of the north and west and are resident all year round, travelling very little in their lives. The population is declining, perhaps linked to diseases and the loss of heather moorland. Where to see them: The best place to see this bird is on upland heather moors, when is suddenly rockets up from the heather when disturbed to fly off with fast-whirring wing beats. When to see them: All year round What they eat: Heather, seeds, berries, insects There are several other non-UK species in North America, Europe and Asia. Of all the feathered game, grouse is considered the king - hence the first day of the grouse shooting season, 12 August, being named The Glorious Twelth. Grouse is native to Scotland but is found elsewhere in the UK. Its flesh is rich, with a distinctive red colour and a gamey flavour, and is quite small, meaning that one bird is enough for one person. Young birds are best roasted, while older birds work well cooked in a casserole. Availability: Grouse is at its best from August until December.

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Choose the best: As grouse are wild birds, rather than farmed, they should all be of pretty good quality, though the way in which they're treated after shooting does have an impact. Look for birds that are plump, with unblemished, fresh-looking deep red skin - avoid any that seem dry, or smell 'off'. The younger the bird, the better the flesh - a pliable breast bone, feet and legs and sharp claws all indicate that a grouse isn't mature. Prepare it: First, you need to remove the wishbone. Pull back the skin from the neck cavity to expose the entrance, cut round it with a small, sharp knife and snip the bone free at the bottom. Then cut the grouse's wings and legs at the second joint - this makes for a neater-looking bird. Using kitchen paper, wipe the outside of the bird and inside the cavity. Season inside with salt and pepper, then push in some flavourings try some sage leaves or sprigs of thyme or slices of lemon or apple. Tie the legs together with string and season the skin all over, brushing with soft butter or oil. You can also wrap the breast with pancetta or Parma ham to prevent it from drying out. Store it: Keep the grouse in the fridge, on a tray, covered with foil or greaseproof paper for up to two days. Make sure it's on the bottom shelf so that any juices don't contaminate any other food; it's particularly important to keep the grouse away from any other cooked meats in the fridge. 145

Grouse Recipes Grouse Soup Ingredients: Bones of 2 roasted grouse Breast of 1 roasted grouse 1 quart of any kind of stock, or pieces and bones of cold roasts 3 quarts of cold water 2 slices of turnip 2 slices of carrot 2 large onions 2 cloves 2 stalks of celery Bouquet of sweet herbs 3 tablespoonfuls of butter 3 tablespoonfuls of flour Method: Cook the grouse bones in three quarts of water four hours. The last hour add the vegetables and the cloves; then strain, and return to the lire with the quart of stock. Cook the butter and the flour together until a rich brown, and then turn into the stock. Cut the breast of the grouse into very small pieces and add to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and simmer gently half an hour. If there is any fat on the soup, skim it off. Serve with fried bread. When bones and meat are used instead of the stock, use one more quart of water, and cook them with the grouse bones.

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Grouse Broth Ingredients: Serves 4 Grouse broth is a tasty way to use up the leftovers It's such a shame to scrape grouse bones into the bin when there is still so much flavour left – a couple of grouse carcasses will make plenty of soup for four people. For the stock: The carcasses from 2 grouse, chopped into 4 or 5 pieces 1 small onion, peeled, halved and roughly chopped 1 medium carrot, peeled, roughly chopped 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed A couple of sprigs of thyme 4 juniper berries 1tbsp vegetable oil A good knob of butter 1tbsp flour 1tsp tomato purée 2 litres chicken stock Salt and freshly ground black pepper To garnish: 2 sticks of celery, peeled if necessary and cut into rough 1cm squares 1 small leek, trimmed, cut into rough 1cm squares and washed 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into rough 1cm squares A couple of leaves of green cabbage, cut into rough 1cm squares

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Method: Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-based saucepan and fry the grouse carcasses, onion, carrot, garlic and herbs on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring every so often until lightly coloured. Add the tomato purée and chicken stock, bring to the boil, season and simmer gently for an hour. Strain the soup through a finemeshed sieve into a clean saucepan, reserving the bits of carcass. Add the celery, leek and carrot and simmer for about 15 minutes or until they are tender, then add the cabbage and simmer for another 5-6 minutes. Meanwhile, remove as many bits of meat from the grouse carcass as possible and add to the soup and simmer for a few minutes, reseason if necessary and serve.

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Roast Grouse with Savoy Cabbage, Pan-fried Potatoes and Apple Compote Ingredients: For the grouse 1 young grouse plucked and gutted 2 tbsp olive oil 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter 8 thin slices Italian lardo sea salt and freshly ground black pepper For the sauce 25g/1oz unsalted butter 2 carrots, roughly chopped 2 sticks celery, roughly chopped 2 shallots, peeled and chopped 1 sprig thyme 1 sprig rosemary 150ml/5fl oz red wine 200ml/7fl oz chicken stock 1 tbsp tomato purée 50ml/2fl oz demi-glace 1 tsp balsamic glaze (reduced balsamic vinegar) For the cabbage 1 tbsp olive oil 100g/3½oz diced pancetta 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 sprig rosemary 1 Savoy cabbage, roughly chopped 100ml/3½fl oz white wine ½ tbsp yellow mustard seeds

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For the apple compote 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced 150ml/5fl oz organic cider For the potatoes 3 large potatoes, preferably Maris Piper, peeled and diced into 1.5cm/½in cubes 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 sprig rosemary 2 garlic cloves, left in their skins Method: Preheat oven to 150C/330F/Gas 2. Remove the legs from the grouse and trim the skin from around the carcass. For the sauce, melt the butter in a large heavy-based pan and brown the carrots, celery, shallots, thyme and rosemary over a high heat. Add the grouse legs, red wine, stock and tomato paste and simmer for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, for the cabbage, heat the oil in a heavy-based pan and fry the pancetta until crisp with the garlic and the rosemary. Add the cabbage and white wine and stew for approximately 25-30 minutes until tender, topping up with a little water if necessary. Remove from the heat, add half a tablespoon of mustard seeds and leave to rest in a warm place.

Brown the bodies of the grouse on all sides in an ovenproof frying pan with the olive oil and butter over a high heat, then transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. For the apple compote, place the diced apple in a small saucepan with the cider. Add a pinch of salt, to taste, and cook until the apple 150

is soft and fluffy. Set aside in a warm place. Strain the legs and vegetables and place the liquid in a small saucepan. Add the demi-glace to the pan and reduce a little, then add the balsamic glaze. Discard the legs and vegetables. Remove the grouse from the oven and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes. Turn the heat up to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Place the potatoes in a non-stick frying pan with the olive oil, rosemary and garlic. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the potato starts to colour. Transfer to a roasting pan and roast in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden-brown. To finish the grouse, heat the lardo in a large frying pan and add the rested grouse. As the lardo melts, baste the meat for 3-4 minutes, or until the skin becomes crispy. Remove the grouse from the pan and rest for a couple more minutes. Carve the breast from the carcass and serve each person one breast with the potatoes, cabbage, compote and sauce.

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Braised Grouse Ingredients: 1 grouse 2 oz. bacon fat 2 onions Beurre manie Half a head of celery Game stock Method: Joint the birds and fry in the bacon fat until brown. Place the onion and celery on the bottom of a casserole and the bird on the vegetables. Pour in enough stock just to cover the bird and cook slowly for 2 hours. Thicken with the beurre manie and adjust the seasoning.

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Roast Grouse with Blackberries and Salt-baked celeriac Ingredients: For the salt-baked celeriac 1 large celeriac, base sliced off, green top left on Three medium free range egg whites 700g/1lb 8oz table salt 5 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped 110ml/4fl oz olive oil Sea salt flakes, to taste Freshly ground black pepper For the grouse 4 rashers smoked bacon 2 fresh grouse 1 tbsp olive oil 4 shallots, peeled, thinly sliced 1 garlic clove 5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked 150g/5oz fresh blackberries 150ml/5fl oz chicken stock, preferably homemade 50g/2oz butter Method: For the celeriac, preheat the oven to 190C/350F/Gas 5. Place the celeriac into a roasting tray. Mix the egg whites, table salt and rosemary together in a large bowl until the mixture forms a paste. Cover the celeriac in a 2cm/¾in thick layer of the salt paste, ensuring there are no gaps. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes. Meanwhile, for the grouse, lay two rashers of smoked bacon over the fat part of each grouse breast. Tie the bacon to the birds using kitchen string. 153

Heat the oil in a heavy-based flameproof casserole over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the grouse and fry, turning regularly until browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the shallots, garlic and thyme leaves to the same casserole and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until softened. Add the blackberries and chicken stock and place the grouse on top. Cover the casserole with the lid and cook in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the grouse are cooked through. Once cooked, remove the casserole from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Remove the birds from the casserole and set aside. Keep warm. Bring the remaining contents of the casserole to the boil on the hob. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering. Continue to simmer until the volume of liquid has reduced by half - about five minutes. Whisk in the butter until the gravy is glossy. Keep warm. When the salt-baked celeriac has cooked, remove it from the oven, chip away the salt crust and scoop out the baked celeriac into a bowl. Add a splash of olive oil to the celeriac, then season, to taste, with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Mix the celeriac with a fork until combined. To serve, remove the string from the grouse, cut the breasts from the carcasses and cut any sinew from the breasts. Divide the saltbaked celeriac equally between two serving plates. Place one grouse breast on top of each portion of celeriac. Drizzle the gravy around the edge of the plates.

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Roast Grouse with Pâté and Bread Sauce For the grouse 4 slices smoked streaky bacon, cut in half lengthways 4 grouse, cleaned, wishbones removed, 75g/3oz of the livers and hearts reserved salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp vegetable oil 110ml/4fl oz red wine 1 sprig fresh thyme 1 fresh bay leaf 500ml/18fl oz hot game or beef stock For the pâté 110g/4oz butter 75g/3oz reserved grouse liver and heart 110g/4oz chicken livers 1 tbsp finely chopped shallots ½ tsp finely chopped garlic 4 tsp brandy 4 tsp ruby port 4 tsp Madeira wine 1 tsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley 1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon 4 slices white bread, cut into heart shapes For the bread sauce 1 small onion 1 clove 1 fresh bay leaf 570ml/1-pint whole milk 150g/5oz fresh white breadcrumbs salt and freshly ground black pepper pinch freshly grated nutmeg 2 tbsp butter 1 bunch fresh watercress, to serve 155

Method: Preheat the oven to 230C/450F/Gas 8. For the grouse, lay the halved bacon slices over the grouse breasts and secure them with string. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan over a high heat, add the bacon-wrapped grouse, bacon-side down, and fry for 1-2 minutes, then turn and fry on the other side for 1-2 minutes, or until the grouse is golden-brown on all sides. Transfer the grouse to the oven for 10-12 minutes (for medium rare) or until cooked to your liking. Remove the grouse from the pan and set aside on a warm plate to rest. Reserve the pan and any juices. Heat the reserved pan that the grouse was cooked in over a medium heat, add the red wine, thyme and bay leaf to the pan juices. Stir well, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the hot stock and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, catching the sieved liquid in a saucepan. For the pâté, heat two tablespoons of the butter in a separate frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter is foaming, add the reserved grouse livers and hearts and the chicken livers and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden-brown on all sides but still pink inside. 156

Strain the pan contents through a colander, reserving the cooked hearts and livers. Return the frying pan to the heat, add another tablespoon of the butter and, when foaming, add the shallots and garlic. Fry for 1-2 minutes, or until softened. Add the brandy, port and Madeira and carefully set alight with a match. Allow the flames to flare up and die down, ensuring that you keep the pan well away from your face, body and any surrounding objects and that the extractor fan is switched off. Return the cooked livers and hearts to the pan. Add the parsley, tarragon and remaining cooking juices from the livers to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend to a purée. Heat the remaining butter in a separate frying pan over a medium heat, add the bread slices and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown on both sides. Set aside to drain on kitchen paper. For the bread sauce, stud the onion with the clove and bay leaf, then place it into a pan and pour over the milk. Bring to a simmer and continue to simmer for 3-4 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a clean pan, reserving the liquid. Add the breadcrumbs to the strained milk, season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then add the nutmeg. 157

Heat the mixture over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes, or until thickened. Add the butter and whisk until melted. To serve, spread the pâté over the heart-shaped croutons and place one onto each of four serving plates. Remove the string from the grouse and stuff some of the watercress into the cavity of each. Place one grouse on top of each crouton. Serve the bread sauce in a separate side dish.

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Pan-fried Grouse with Skirlie and Glazed Beetroot Ingredients: 8 fresh young grouse, breasts removed and skinned (see below for instructions - legs and carcasses kept for stock) For the glazed beetroot 50g/2oz butter 1 medium red onion, finely chopped 500g/1lb young beetroot, peeled and diced Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper For the skirlie 50g/2oz bacon fat, or beef or duck dripping 1 medium onion, finely chopped 125g/4½oz medium or coarse oatmeal For the sauce 300ml/10fl oz red wine 450ml/15fl oz grouse stock 1 tbsp rowan or redcurrant jelly 25g/1oz unsalted butter, chilled and diced Olive oil Method: The grouse breasts are easy to remove. First cut off the legs through the joint next to the rib cage. Then, with a small sharp knife, cut along the breastbone and with small swift strokes, keeping parallel to the breastbones, gradually ease the flesh away and release it from the carcass. Pull off the skin and they are ready to cook. For the glazed beetroot, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook for five minutes, until softened, then add the beetroot. Pour in 150ml/5fl oz water and simmer for 15 minutes, turn up the 159

heat and evaporate any remaining liquid. When the liquid has disappeared, stir the beetroot over a high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until it begins to caramelised. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm. For the skirlie, melt the dripping or fat in a frying pan and add the onion. Cook over a gentle heat until just beginning to turn golden. Add the oatmeal and stir for a couple of minutes, until the fat is absorbed and the oatmeal smells toastie. Keep warm. For the sauce, place the red wine and rowan jelly into a saucepan and reduce to about two tablespoons of liquid. Add the grouse stock and boil to reduce by half. Taste and season. Whisk in the butter and do not allow the sauce to boil. Keep warm. Season the grouse breasts with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a heavy-based frying pan until very hot. Add one tablespoon of oil to the pan then the breasts, skinned-side down. Fry for two minutes then turn over and fry for two minutes more. Take the pan off the heat onto a heatproof surface (this will allow them to rest and keep warm). To serve, slice the breasts and set the slices on top of the skirlie and pour the sauce around.

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Roast Grouse Ingredients: 1 Grouse 1 oz. butter per bird A squeeze of lemon juice Salt and pepper 1 rasher fat bacon per bird Method: Draw and clean the bird. Knead the salt, pepper and lemon juice into the butter and out inside the bird. Tie the bacon round the bird and roast in a hot oven for 25 minutes. Serve with fried breadcrumbs, watercress, slices of lemon and cranberry sauce

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Grilled Grouse Ingredients: Very young grouse Melted butter Maitre d’hotel butter Salt and black pepper Grilled mushrooms Straw potatoes Method: Cut the birds in half and wipe the inside with a damp cloth. Season the birds with salt and pepper and brush well with melted butter. Place the birds in a buttered grill pan and grill under a very hot grill for about 8 minutes each side, brushing with more butter when necessary. The birds should not be over-cooked. Serve with maitre d’hotel butter on top of each half.

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Casseroled Grouse Ingredients: 1 grouse 1 cup red wine 2 rashers of fat bacon 1 cup game stock 2 oz butter Bouquet Garni 2 tablespoons oil 2 tablespoons brandy 4 chopped shallots Chopped parsley 2 chopped carrots Lemon butterflies Salt & pepper Beurre manie Method: Clean the birds and tie a rasher of fat bacon round each bird. Heat the butter and oil together and fry shallots and carrots. Add the grouse and brown well all over. Pour over the brandy and flame. Add the bouquet garni, wine, stock and seasoning and cook slowly for 2 hours. Thicken with the beurre manie and adjust the seasoning. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and garnish with lemon butterflies.

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Salmis of Grouse Ingredients: 2 grouse 1 lemon 1 cup of dry white wine Salt and black pepper 1 cup of concentrated game stock Chopped parsley 4 oz. button mushrooms 1 oz. flour 1 oz. butter Method: Half roast the grouse. Joint them and put in a casserole. Crush the giblets with the juices; add wine, stock, seasoning, juice and zest of lemon and the mushrooms. Pour this sauce over the birds and cook in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes. Make a beurre manie of the butter and flour and stir this into the sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and garnish with lemon butterflies.

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Wild Turkey

Turkey Hunting is a sport involving the pursuit of the wild turkey. Long before the European settlers arrived in North America, the Native Americans took part in hunting wild turkeys There are six species of wild turkey pursued as game animals in North America. The most common are the Eastern, Osceola, Rio Grande, and Merriam's turkey. To "bag" a bird from each of these species is known in turkey hunting circles as a "Grand Slam". The less-common of the species, the Gould's and Ocellated wild turkey, are also pursued. To take a bird from all six species is known as a "World Slam". The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which was domesticated from the South Mexican subspecies of the wild turkey. 165

Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green legs and a black body. Males, called toms or gobblers, have a large, featherless, reddish head, red throat, and red wattles on the throat and neck. The head has fleshy growths called caruncles. When males are excited, a fleshy flap on the bill expands, and this, the wattles and the bare skin of the head and neck all become engorged with blood, almost concealing the eyes and bill. The long fleshy object over a male's beak is called a snood. When a male turkey's excited, its head turns blue; when ready to fight, it turns red. Each foot has three toes, and males have a spur behind each of their lower legs. Turkeys have a long, dark, fan-shaped tail and glossy bronze wings. As with many other species of the Galliformes, turkeys exhibit strong sexual dimorphism. The male is substantially larger than the female, and his feathers have areas of red, purple, green, copper, bronze, and gold iridescence. Females, called hens, have feathers that are duller overall, in shades of brown and gray. Parasites can dull coloration of both sexes; in males, coloration may serve as a signal of health. The primary wing feathers have white bars. Turkeys have 5000 to 6000 feathers. Tail feathers are of the same length in adults, different lengths in juveniles. Males typically have a "beard", a tuft of coarse hair (modified feathers) growing from the center of the breast. Beard’s average 9 inches (230 mm) in length. In some populations, 10 to 20 percent of females have a beard, usually shorter and thinner than that of the male. The adult male normally weighs from 5 to 11 kg (11–24 pounds) and measures 100–125 cm (39–49 in). The adult female is typically much smaller at 3 to 5.4 kg (6.6–12 lbs) and is 76 to 95 cm (30–37 in) long. 166

Smoked Christmas Turkey How to Prepare the Turkey Remove the giblets and the neck from the body cavity and the neck cavity of the bird. Remove the excess fat from the edges of the skin. Leave as much of the skin on the bird as possible. It protects the meat from drying as it smokes. Rinse the turkey in cold, running water, making sure to clean the body cavity as well as the outside surfaces. Another important step of preparation is to separate the skin from the breast. Be very careful that you don't tear the skin as you pull it free. Slowly work it loose with your fingers, from the rear to front, and then down the sides toward the legs. Doing this allows the brine to reach the breast meat. How to Brine Turkey Now it's time to plop the turkey into the brine. I place it into the brine "head first". If it goes in "feet first", air may become trapped in the body cavity. The brine has to contact every part of the turkey, inside and out. To keep the bird submerged, lay a heavy plate on top of the brine, inside the brining container. Gently slosh the turkey in the brine every couple of hours while you're awake. You want that brine to do its magic. Depending on the size of the turkey, brining can take from eight to twenty-four hours. A ten-pound turkey needs about eight hours in the brine. A fourteen-pound bird will need about twelve hours. Anything larger may need up to twenty-four hours. Note: If you prefer a less-salty smoked turkey, brine it for a shorter amount of time. Try brining it half as long. 167

Rinse it well, and let it rest overnight in the fridge. This will give time for the brine concentrated near the surface to move deeper into the turkey. Another option is to brine it for the full time, rinse it well, then soak it in fresh, cold water overnight (in the fridge) to leech out some of the salt. It's not a good idea to decrease the amount of salt in the brine recipe. Doing so will decrease the saltiness, but the weakened brine won't provide any moisture-retention or flavour-improving benefits. I recommend smoking a turkey weighing fourteen pounds or less. A larger bird will heat up more slowly, allowing micro-organisms a chance to multiply. I prefer birds that are nearer to eleven pounds, since they take less time to smoke. Rinse and Dry After removing the bird from the brine, rinse it in cold, running water. Make sure you clean the body cavity in addition to the outside surface. Position the bird upright, as if it were dancing, in the kitchen sink to drain. You want most of the water to drain from the body cavity. After five to ten minutes, pat the turkey dry with a towel to ready it for seasoning. Be careful if you use paper towels. They can melt onto the turkey flesh, and the resulting mess can be difficult to remove. The Curing Rest For the best texture and flavour let the turkey rest uncovered in the refrigerator twelve to twenty-four hours. This gives the salt and brine flavourings time to distribute evenly throughout the turkey. It allows the salt time to modify the proteins which will improve the texture and 168

moisture retention.

Seasoning the Turkey The brined turkey can be seasoned with a dry mix of spices and herbs, or with a wet rub. I use a dry mix in the cavity, but I prefer to use a wet rub on the outside surfaces of the turkey. I believe it adheres better, plus the oil in it improves the moistness and colour of the smoked turkey. To make a wet rub, mix vegetable or olive oil into the dry ingredients until you have a thin paste. The trick to seasoning a brined turkey is to get the flavours under the skin. Remember when you separated the skin from the breast before brining? You were preparing it for seasoning at the same time. Again, carefully lift the skin and coat the meat with some of the wet rub. Try to completely cover the exposed flesh. Pull the skin back into place after you've seasoned the bird. I use a couple of toothpicks to hold the skin in place, since it shrinks as it cooks. You don’t want the meat uncovered as it smokes. Season the outer surface of the turkey with the remaining wet rub. Get into all the nooks and crannies…under the wings and legs. Next flavour the inside of the turkey with dry spices. Smoking the Turkey Get your smoker up to 225 degrees Fahrenheit before you put in the turkey. Oil the grate to prevent sticking. Maintain a temperature of 225 to 250 degrees throughout the smoking session. I like my smoked turkey to be kissed with a combination of oak and apple smoke, about half and half. Use two or three fist sized chunks, spaced throughout the session…you don't want it to be overpowered with smoke flavour. 169

Normally, it will need to smoke from 30 to 40 minutes per pound. Baste the turkey with a little melted butter a few times as it smokes. When the thick part of the thigh reaches 170 degrees, and the breast about 160, it's time to remove the turkey. The temperature will rise after removing it from the smoker. When the breast reaches 150F, cover it with foil to prevent it from being overcooked. All that remains is to cover the smoked turkey with a foil tent, and let it rest for at least one-half hour, breast side down, before slicing. This allows the juices and smoke flavour to evenly disperse throughout the flesh as it firms up. Serving Suggestions for Smoked Turkey Smoked turkey is a wonderful smoky treat served hot or cold. I think the flavour actually improves after a couple of days in the refrigerator. The smoked turkey can be eaten along with a traditional Thanksgiving meal, or any other meal, sidled up next to the mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, stuffing, and homemade bread. It's also great chilled, sliced thin, and served on an assortment of crackers and cheeses. Top these off with green or black olives, a thin slice of tomato, or a bit of avocado.

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Apple Wood Smoked Turkey Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 3 hours Total Time: 3 hours, 30minute Yield: Serves 12 to 15 Ingredients: 1 12-to-15-pound turkey 1 cup kosher salt 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup maple syrup 2 quarts apple juice (or cider) 1- or 2-quarts water (depends how many breasts I'm smoking, Use enough to allow the breast/s to be fully submerged in the brine Preparation: Mix the brine well. Soak the turkey in the brine for at least 16 hours (I do around 24 sometimes a little more) in a non-metal container covered in the fridge. I use a large plastic Tupperware bowl. I put the bird in the brine frozen and allow it to thaw in the brine. Start the grill, use a good amount of charcoal. (can't tell you exactly how much because I don't count my coals) once the coals are ready spread them to the outside of grill. Throw on a pie pan with water in it and set in middle of the charcoal rack between the coals Pull the bird out of the brine. Rinse off with water. Pat dry with paper towel and place on the top cooking rack. Toss on a handful of apple wood chunks on the coals (they seem to give a better tasting smoke flavor if I don't soak them first IMO). Then put the top on the grill. I add charcoal as needed. Sometimes I may have to take the top food rack off with the turkey on to adjust the 171

coals and knock the ash off to keep the temp up. I will adjust the bottom air intake vents from time to time to raise or lower the temps. But I always leave the exhaust vent all the way open to avoid too much smoke building up in the grill. I'll add more wood as needed to try and keep a nice light flow of smoke coming out. I'll turn the bird 180 degrees about an hour and a half into the cook to assure even cooking. An 8-pound breast usually gets done between 2.5 to 3 hours with temps between 230F & 280F. On average it takes me just about 21 minutes a pound. This has been pretty well with every turkey breast I've ever smoked. A whole turkey could vary a bit. Pull off of grill when done, which is around 175F. Wait at least 10 minutes before carving.

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Aubergine and Turkey Roll Ingredients: 1 aubergine, long and large, trimmed and sliced thinly lengthways 4tbsp olive oil Filling: 450g/1lb British Turkey mince 1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped 4tbsp fresh breadcrumbs 2tsp ground coriander 1tsp ground cumin Salt and pepper Sauce: 2tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, chopped 1tsp paprika 2 x 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes 2tbsp tomato puree Method: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Brush two baking sheets with a little of the olive oil and spread out the aubergines slices on them. Brush the slices with the rest of the oil and bake for 10-15 minutes or until softened and golden. For the filling, mix the turkey mince in a bowl and mix in the onion, breadcrumbs, coriander, cumin and seasoning. For the sauce, heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the paprika, cook for 1 minute, add the tomatoes and puree and simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon a thin layer of the tomato sauce over the base of a large shallow ovenproof dish or roasting tin. Take one aubergines slice, spoon a little filling at one end and roll up. Place in the dish with the 173

end of the aubergines slice tucked underneath. Repeat with the remaining aubergines slices and filling, placing the rolls close together so they do not unroll. Spoon over the remaining sauce, lower the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes and serve hot with vegetables.

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Devilled Turkey Ingredients: serves 3 – 4 350 g cold roast turkey for the devilled butter 2 tbsp (1 oz) 25 g butter 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1/4 tsp curry paste a pinch of ground ginger Method: Mix together all the ingredients for the devilled butter. Divide the turkey into convenient portions or serving, remove the skin, and score the flesh deeply. Spread lightly with the devilled butter and leave for 1 hour (longer if a highly seasoned dish is wanted). Grill the meat for about 8 minutes, turning once, until crisp and brown. Serve with piquant sauce.

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Breast of Turkey with Yogurt Sauce Ingredients: serves 4 1 kg (2 1/4 lbs) turkey breast on bone 2 garlic cloves 1/2 tsp salt 2 pinches freshly ground black pepper 6 tbsp sunflower oil 1 yellow and 1 red pepper 200 g (7 oz) leeks 500 g (18 oz) cucumber Bunch chervil 125 ml (4 fl oz) 1/2 cup hot chicken stock 250 g (9 oz) 1 cup thick set yogurt Method: Wash and dry turkey breast. Peel and chop garlic, mix with salt and pepper, then crush and combine with 1 tbsp oil. Coat meat with this mixture before covering and putting in refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas Mark 6. Discard stalk and seeds of peppers, wash and chop. Trim both ends of leeks, wash thoroughly and cut into 1 cm (1/3 in) pieces. Peel, core and slice cucumber. Wash, dry and finely chop chervil. Heat remaining oil. Place turkey breast in roasting pan, pour hot oil over it and roast in centre of oven for 30 minutes. Arrange chopped peppers and leek around meat, pour on hot stock and cook for 10 minutes longer. Finally add cucumber and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove meat and vegetables from pan, put on warm serving dish and return to oven after it has been switched off to keep warm. Deglaze roasting pan with yogurt, pour into sauce boat and sprinkle with chervil 176

Honey Glazed Turkey Breasts with Parsley Mash Ingredients: serves 4 4 x 150 g (5 oz) turkey breast fillets for the glaze 1 tbsp clear honey 1 tbsp prepared mustard 2 tbsp zested orange rind 3 tbsp orange juice 2 tbsp ground ginger for the parsley mash 1 lb (450 g) potatoes, peeled 350 g (12 oz) parsnips, peeled 1-2 tbsp semi skimmed milk or low-fat natural yogurt 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley salt and pepper to serve parsley sprigs orange slices salad or freshly cooked vegetables Method: Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5, 10 minutes before cooking. Wipe the turkey breast fillets and make 3 diagonal slashes across each breast. for the glaze Gently heat the ingredients for the glaze and spoon over the turkey fillets. Cook in the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes or until thoroughly 177

cooked. Baste the turkey occasionally with the glaze. for the parsley mash Meanwhile, chop the potatoes and parsnips into small chunks then cook in lightly salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly then mash with seasoning to taste and the milk or yoghurt. Beat well with a fork until creamy then stir in the chopped parsley. to serve Arrange the mash onto 4 individual warmed plates and top with the glazed turkey fillets. Garnish with fresh parsley sprigs and orange slices. Serve with salad or freshly cooked vegetables.

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Coriander and Lemon Turkey Goujons Ingredients: serves: 4 125 g fresh breadcrumbs or 113 g pack natural crumbs zest of 1 lemon 15 g pack fresh coriander, finely chopped salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 medium size eggs, beaten 750 g turkey breasts 3 tbsp sunflower oil 1 clove garlic juice of 1/2 lemon 6 tbsp low calorie mayonnaise Method: For the goujons, mix together the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, coriander, and seasoning. Pour the beaten eggs on to a plate and dip the turkey strips into it. Firmly press the turkey strips into the breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the goujons for approximately 5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. For the dip, add the garlic and lemon juice to the mayonnaise and stir well to combine.

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Casserole of Turkey with Onions Ingredients: serves 4 2 1/2 lb (1 kg) onions, thinly sliced 2 lb (900 g) legs and breast of turkey 1/2 stick + 1 tbsp (5 Tbsp) 2 1/2 oz butter salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup (8 fl oz) 250 ml beer Method: Place the onions in a large non-stick frying pan (without fat), cover the pan and sauté for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. In the meantime, cut the turkey joints into chunks about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and discard the bones. Melt the butter in a frying pan and brown the turkey on all sides, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. When the onions are cooked, add the turkey to the sauté pan and mix well. Pour over the beer, cover the pan and cook for 1 hour on low heat until there is no liquid left in the pan. Serve immediately.

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Mexican Turkey Fajita Baskets Ingredients: serves: 4 1 tbsp oil 4 turkey breast steaks, sliced into strips 30 g pack tex 'n' mex taco seasoning mix 175 ml water 410 g can pinto beans, drained 1 red onion, finely sliced and rinsed in cold water 2 little gem lettuces, shredded 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges juice 1/2 lime corn oil for frying 4 x flour tortillas Method: For the salad base: Heat the oil in a frying pan then add the turkey and fry until sealed, this will take approximately 4 minutes. Drain off any excess fat. Add the seasoning mix and water, stir well and cook for a further 4- 5 minutes. Put to one side. In a bowl combine together the remaining ingredients. For the baskets: Heat the oil in a frying pan or deep fat fryer to 190°C, 375°F. When hot add the tortillas, cooking them whilst holding down with a metal ladle to form a dip. This will take approximately 1 minute. Remove and place on kitchen paper to drain. Repeat the process for the remaining flour tortillas. Fill the baskets with the salad ingredients and turkey. Serve immediately.

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Oak Smoked Turkey and Dolcelatte Tagliatelle Ingredients: serves 4 - 6 3 Tbsp (40 g) butter 3/8 cup (40 g) plain flour (All purpose) 600 ml milk 250 g dolcelatte, cubed 125 g oak smoked turkey breast, diced 500 g bag fresh tagliatelle salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs, toasted (optional) 1 tbsp freshly chopped flat leaf parsley Method: Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the milk, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring continually until thickened and smooth. Stir in the dolcelatte, turkey and seasoning to taste Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the tagliatelle, bring back to the boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Drain well and stir into the sauce. Serve straight away sprinkled with the breadcrumbs and parsley.

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Mexican Turkey Mole Ingredients: serves: 4 2 tbsp corn oil 4 turkey breasts, cut into 2 cm dice 1 onion, finely chopped 5 tbsp mole pablano powder 2 tbsp tomato puree (paste) 400 g can chopped tomatoes 1 vegetable stock cube, made up to 2 cups (500 ml) with boiling water 1 tbsp cocoa powder 1 lime, cut into quarters 1 tomato, deseeded and cut into strips Method: Heat a 1 tbsp of oil in a medium size saucepan and cook the turkey pieces until sealed on all sides. Remove the turkey from the pan and put to one side. Heat the remaining oil in the saucepan and cook the onion until softened. Stir in the mole powder and cook for a further minute. Add the tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, stock and cocoa powder. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes. After the mole has been cooking for 20 minutes, return the turkey to the saucepan and continue to cook slowly. Serve with wedges of lime and strips of tomato. This dish can be accompanied by rice or tortillas. 183

Tomato and Button Mushroom Turkey Steaks Ingredients: serves 4 2 tbsp olive oil 500 g turkey breast steaks 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 tsp (10 g) 1/2 oz thyme, finely chopped 250 g button mushrooms, wiped and halved 400 g can chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp cornflour blended with 2 tbsp cold water salt and freshly ground black pepper Method: Heat a 1 tbsp of oil in a medium frying pan. Seal each turkey steak, then remove from the pan and put to one side. Heat the remaining oil and cook the onion until softened. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for a further minute. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and turkey steaks to the pan, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes. Blend in the cornflour and stir until the sauce thickens, add seasoning to taste. Serve with rice or creamy mashed potato.

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Turkey and Bacon Preparation time: 5 min, Cooking time: 5 - 6 min, Cals per serving: 250 Ingredients: serves: 2 2 streaky bacon rashers 2 tsp plain flour 125 g (4 oz) turkey breast strips 2 tsp olive oil 2 tsp redcurrant jelly or cranberry sauce Method: Cut the bacon into short strips. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the bacon for 1 to 2 minutes until beginning to brown. Remove from the heat. Season the flour with pepper and dust the turkey with the seasoned flour. Add the oil to the pan with the bacon in and stir-fry the turkey for 2 to 3 minutes until cooked through and the bacon is crisp. Use warm or cool and chill until needed. Top with a little redcurrant jelly to serve.

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Turkey 'Sirloin' Ingredients: serves 6 125 g (4 oz) chick peas, soaked overnight and drained 30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil 50 g (2 oz) onions, skinned and chopped 50 g (2 oz) streaky bacon pieces, finely snipped 50 g (2 oz) fresh white breadcrumbs 10 ml (2 tsp) dried tarragon 1 large egg 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice salt and freshly ground pepper 600 g (1 1/4 lb) turkey breast roast 600 ml (1 pint) chicken or turkey stock 10 ml (2 tsp) arrowroot dash of gravy browning Method: Put the chick peas into a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer until tender, at least 2 hours. Drain and mash. Heat the oil and fry the onion and bacon until the onion is golden. Remove from the heat, and mix in the next four ingredients with the chick peas and seasoning. Put the turkey roast into a small roasting tin. Press the chick-pea mixture round the joint to form a collar then wrap a strip of greased foil around the outside. Pour 150 ml (1/4 pint) stock into the tin and roast at 180°C (350°F) mark 4 for about 1 1/2 hours. Lift the joint on to a serving plate and remove the foil. Add the remaining stock to the pan juices and bring to the boil. Mix the arrowroot to a paste with a little water and stir into the pan juices. Adjust the seasoning and add a dash of gravy browning. Slice off the chick-pea crust before carving. Serve, if wished, with sauté potatoes and mushrooms with peas. 186

The Quail

Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae. The Buttonquail are not quail at all, are named more for their appearance superficially resembling quail, and are members of the Turnicidae family, more closely related to the Charadriformes. The Kink qual, a member of the Old World quail, is often sold in the pet trade and is commonly referred to there as a "button quail". Many of the common larger species are farm raised for table food or egg consumption, and are hunted on game farms or in the wild, where they are sometimes artificially stocked to supplement the wild population, or extend into areas they are normally not found naturally. 187

Quail is a versatile little bird whose lean flesh and small size means that it cooks quickly. The flavour of the meat welcomes many accompaniments. You cna also enjoy it simply rubbed generously with a mixture of ground cumin, cardamom, coriander seed and cinnamon, just before cooking. Alternatively, try sharp, sweet, Asian flavours, such as a paste made of fish sauce, palm sugar, chillies and garlic, generously spooned over the birds and served alongside glass noodles as soon as they have left the oven. There is not a lot of meat on a quail, once you get past the plump breast, and it is almost impossible to use utensils. So instead, pick them up with your fingers and chew on the tasty bits of meat that are to be found on their legs and wings.

Quail Stuffed with Wild Mushrooms 188

Ingredients: 4 large quail. 1 tablespoon of olive oil. 2 onions, diced. 2 cups of breadcrumbs. 2 cups of wild mushrooms, sliced. Salt and freshly-ground black pepper. 2 tablespoons of thyme, chopped. 2 tablespoons of parsley, chopped. ½ cup of clarified butter. Method: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). De-bone the quail from the back, leaving the bird whole. In a heavy-bottomed frying pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook until caramelized and brown (about 15 minutes). Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the to the breadcrumbs. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Lay the birds out flat and divide the stuffing equally between the 4 quail, putting the mixture in the middle of the flattened bird. Repeat with the chopped herbs. Re-form the quail to their original shape, then place them in a tin foil nest and brush with clarified butter. Place the quail in the oven to roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Creamed Quail Casserole 189

Ingredients: 8 quail breasts. 1 teaspoon of butter. 1 can (16 oz) of cream of chicken soup. 1 tablespoon of butter. Salt and black pepper, to taste. ¼ cup of milk. ¼ cup of mushrooms, thinly sliced. Method: Brush the quail breasts with a small amount of butter and brown in a casserole in hot oven. Cream together the soup, butter, seasonings and milk. Pour over browned quail breasts. Sprinkle with the thinly sliced mushrooms. Cover and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 50-55 minutes.

Pan-Roasted Quail 190

Ingredients: 6 slices of fresh truffle. 6 shallots, peeled. 6 whole quails. 2 teaspoons of salt. 1 teaspoon of freshly-ground black pepper. 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Method: Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Place one truffle shaving and one shallot into the cavity of each quail. Season the quail with salt and black pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Place the quail in the skillet, breast side down, and cook until the skin is a golden-brown color. Turn the quail and cook for 3 more minutes. Place the skillet directly in the oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until done. Allow the quail rest for 5 minutes, then serve.

Smothered Quail 191

Ingredients: 6 quail. 6 tablespoons of butter. 3 tablespoons of flour. 2 cups of chicken broth. ½ cup of sherry. Salt and black pepper, to taste. Rice, cooked, to serve with. Method: In a heavy skillet, brown quail in the butter. Remove to baking dish. Add the flour to skillet and stir thoroughly. Gradually add the broth, sherry, salt and black pepper. Blend and pour over the quail. Cover the baking dish and bake at 325°F (160°C) for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve with rice.

Quail with White Grapes 192

Ingredients: 4 quails. 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. ½ teaspoon of seasoned salt. White pepper, to taste. ½ cup of flour. 1/3 cup of butter. 1/3 cup of white wine. 1/3 cup of chicken broth. 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. ¼ cup of seedless white grapes. 2 tablespoons of toasted almonds, sliced. Method: Rinse the birds and pat dry inside and out, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and white pepper. Allow to stand for 1 hour then coat with flour. In a saucepan, sauté the quail in butter until golden. Add the white wine, chicken broth and remaining lemon juice; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the grapes and almonds and cook for 5 more minutes or until the birds are tender.

Quail Pie 193

Ingredients: 1 cup of flour. ¼ cup of butter. ½ teaspoon of dried thyme. ½ teaspoon of powdered sassafras. 1 teaspoon of baking powder. ½ cup of half-and-half. ¼ cup of butter. 1 lb of quail, cleaned and dressed. ½ cup of sherry. Method: Combine the flour, butter, thyme, sassafras and baking powder. Mix until crumbly. Add the half-and-half, then mix into a dough. Roll out on a floured board to make half-inch thick pastry crust. In a suitably sized skillet, melt the butter. Cut the quail into pieces and fry in the butter for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Arrange the quail in a baking dish. Stir the sherry into the pan juices, then pour over the quail. Top with crust. Prick the crust with a fork, then bake for about 20 minutes in a 400°F (205°C) oven until golden brown.

Simple Baked Quail 194

Ingredients: 8 quail. Salt and black pepper. 1 stick of butter or margarine. 1 ½ cups of flour. 1 cup of water. Method: Season each quail with salt and pepper. Put in paper sack with flour and toss to coat. Butter the bottom of an iron skillet or Dutch oven, then place the quail in the skillet. Pour melted butter (or margarine) over the quail, making sure it covers each one. Pour water in the bottom of the skillet and place lid on top. Cook at 300°F (150°C) for about 2 hours 30 minutes, adding more water if needed. Use water drippings to make gravy.

Quail Marinated in Plum Wine, Barley Miso and Ginger 195

Ingredients: For the marinade 200ml/7fl oz plum wine 3 tsp barley miso (available from larger supermarkets and Asian supermarkets) 4 tsp umeboshi paste (available from Asian supermarkets) 5 tsp soy sauce 4 tsp sesame oil 2 tsp grated fresh ginger 1 tsp finely chopped garlic For the quail 2 quails, de-boned and cut in half, leaving breast and thigh together To serve ¼ daikon, very finely sliced into sticks (julienne) and placed in iced water 4 large shiso leaves 1 sharon fruit, cut into 1cm/½in cubes or balls 1 mango, cut into 1cm/½in cubes or balls pinch sancho pepper pinch sea salt flakes Method: For the marinade, place all of the ingredients except the quail into a bowl and whisk together to combine. Set one quarter of the marinade mixture aside in a bowl to dress the salad later. For the quail, place the quail into the main batch of marinade, cover and allow to marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat a griddle pan until smoking. Add the marinated quail and 196

griddle for 3-4 minutes on each side, basting regularly with the marinade, or until completely cooked through. To serve, arrange the drained daikon sticks into four bundles and place onto two plates. Place a shiso leaf on top of each bundle. Cut each quail half into two pieces, then place a piece of quail onto each diakon bundle. Place the sharon fruit and mango into the reserved dressing (do not use the mixture used to marinate the quail for this step) and mix well to coat. Spoon the dressed fruit over the top of quail pieces. Season with a pinch of the sancho pepper and sea salt.

Quail Mulligatawny 197

Ingredients: 300ml/10fl oz chicken stock 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves 1 garlic clove, chopped 4 whole quail 2 tbsp vegetable oil 25g/1oz butter salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 onions, peeled and chopped 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated 2 tbsp mild curry powder 2 tbsp plain flour 400ml/14fl oz tin coconut milk 25g/1oz sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1cm/½in dice 50g/1¾oz red lentils, cooked 4 onion rings, breadcrumbed and deep-fried, for garnish 1 small bunch fresh coriander, leaves chopped Method: For the quail, place the chicken stock, thyme and garlic into a pan over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the quail and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Remove the quail with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper, reserving the stock for the soup. When cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to carefully cut the whole quail breasts away from the bone and then cut the legs away from the body. Heat a frying pan until hot and then add the oil and butter. When it begins to foam, season the quail breasts and legs with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place them, skin-side down, in the 198

pan. Fry the quail for 3-5 minutes, or until there is moderate resistance when the thickest part of the breast is squeezed and the legs are crisp and golden-brown. Remove the meat from the pan and leave to rest in a warm place for five minutes. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a pan and add the onions, apple and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the onions are soft but not brown, then add the curry powder and flour and cook for two more minutes, stirring frequently. Deglaze the pan with the reserved stock, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove the sediment. Simmer for two minutes and then pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Add the coconut milk and sweet potato to the pan and simmer for about ten minutes or until the sweet potato is cooked and the soup is thick. Add the cooked lentils, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and heat through. To serve, spoon the lentils and sweet potato into each dish. Place the quail legs on top followed by the quail breasts, then pour over the soup and garnish with the deep-fried onion rings and chopped coriander.

Quail with Chestnuts and Butternut Squash 199

Ingredients: For the brine 160g/5¾oz sea salt 80g/2¾oz caster sugar 1 sprig rosemary 2 sprigs thyme 1 orange, peeled 1 cinnamon stick 2 star Anise 2 cloves For the quail 1-2 small quail 1 tbsp olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper For the salad ½ small red onion, finely chopped 9 fresh chestnuts in shells, roasted, peeled and roughly chopped (reserve 4 to finely chop for the garnish) 1 tbsp dried cranberries 1 tbsp roughly shredded flatleaf parsley 100g/3½oz butternut squash, peeled and julienned For the dressing 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tsp honey 1 tbsp olive oil ½ tbsp hazelnut oil

To serve 200

50g/1¾oz unsalted butter Method: Bring 500ml/18fl oz water and the brine ingredients to the boil then remove from the heat and cool. Spatchcock the quail by cutting up the back with a pair of scissors. Place in a bowl and cover with the cooled brine and chill for 30 minutes in the fridge. Remove the quail from the brine and pat dry. Season with the oil and a little salt and pepper. Place a large griddle pan over a hih heat. Once hot, cook the quail skin side down for 3½ minutes, then 3½ minutes on the other side. (The quail will still have some pink parts when done.) For the salad, mix all of the salad ingredients, except the butternut squash. Set aside. For the dressing, whisk all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Put the butternut squash in the dressing for 5 minutes to soften. Just before serving add the dressing to the salad. Heat the oil in a frying pan with the finely chopped chestnuts. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Place the quail on serving plates and drizzle over the chopped chestnuts. Serve the salad alongside.

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The Duck

Waterfowl hunting (also called wildfowling or waterfowl shooting in the UK) is the practice of hunting duck, geese, or other waterfowl for food and sport. In many western countries, commercial waterfowl hunting is prohibited, and duck hunting is primarily an outdoor sporting activity. Many types of ducks and geese share the same habitat, have overlapping or identical hunting seasons, and are hunted using the same methods. Thus, it is possible to take different species of waterfowl in the same outing. Waterfowl can be hunted in crop fields where they feed, or, more frequently, on or near bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, sloughs, or oceanic coastlines. Waterfowl hunting with shotguns began in the 17th century with the matchlock shotgun. Later flintlock shotguns and percussion cap were used. Shotguns were loaded with black powder and lead shot 202

through the muzzle in the 17th century to the late 19th century. Damascus barrels shot only black powder charges. In North America a variety of ducks and geese are hunted, the most common being mallards, Canada geese, snow geese, canvasback, redhead, pintail, gadwall, ruddy duck, harlequin, common, hooded and red-breasted merganser (often avoided because of its reputation as a poor-eating bird with a strong flavor). Also hunted are black duck, wood duck, blue wing teal, green wing teal, bufflehead, shoveler, widgeon, and goldeneye. Ocean ducks include oldsquaw, eider duck, and scoter. Swans are generally protected in the United States and the UK (where they are historically considered a royal prerogative), however they are being hunted along with other wildfowl in many other countries.

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Braised Duck in Red Wine Ingredients: Butter for frying 12 small pickling onions, peeled Few celery stalks, scrubbed and finely chopped 4 duck portions, skinned 300 ml (1/2 pint) red wine (Burgundy-type) 1 bouquet garni 2 tsp sugar Salt and freshly ground black pepper Beurre manie made with 25 g (1 oz) butter mixed with 2 tbsp flour To finish: 175 g (6 oz) button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced and 2 tbsp brandy Method: Melt a knob of butter in a large flameproof casserole. Add the onions and celery and fry gently until golden. Remove from the casserole with a slotted spoon and set aside. Put the duck portions in the casserole and brown on both sides. Return the onions and celery to the casserole. Pour in the red wine and add the bouquet garni, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring just to the boil, stirring constantly, then cover and transfer to a moderate oven (180°C/350°F or Gas Mark 4). Cook for 1 hour or until the duck is tender when pierced with a skewer. Return the casserole to the top of the stove and discard the bouquet garni. Add the beurre manie in small pieces, stirring constantly, and simmer until the sauce thickens. Melt a spoon of butter in a small pan and, when foaming, add the mushrooms. Sauté for 1 minute over high heat, then pour over the brandy and set alight. When the flames die down, spoon on top of the casserole and serve. 204

Braised Coriander Duck Ingredients: serves 6 2.5 - 3 kg (5 - 6 lb) duck, cut into 6 servings and trimmed of fat 50 ml (2 fl oz) lemon juice 2.5 g (1/2 tsp) 'ground cumin 2.5 g (1/2 tsp) salt 2.5 g (1/2 tsp) black pepper 50 ml (2 fl oz) olive oil 900 ml (1 1/2 pt) lager 450 g (1 lb) rice 150 g (6 oz) cooked peas 75 g (3 oz) finely chopped fresh coriander leaves Method: Brush the duck with a mixture of the lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Put on a plate, cover and refrigerate for 4 - 5 hours. In a large flameproof casserole, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the duck pieces and brown them on all sides. Pour off all but 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the fat. Add the lager to the casserole and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 50 minutes. Remove the duck pieces from the casserole. Set them aside and keep warm. Remove 700 ml (1 2/5 pt) of the liquid from the casserole and bring it to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan over a high heat. Add the rice, stir, bring to a boil again and cover tightly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 18 minutes. Stir the peas and coriander leaves into the rice. Cover, remove from the heat and allow to stand for 1 minute. Arrange the duck pieces on a bed of rice and serve. 205

Breast of Duck with Dip Ingredients: 2 breasts of duck with skin 2 tbsp walnut oil. paprika salt and pepper butter to grease the oven proof dish 1/2 pint (250 ml) red wine 6 tbsp ready-made Cumberland sauce 1/4 pint (125 ml) port 1 oz (30 g) currants 4 tbsp finely chopped walnuts Method: Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 (350° F or 180° C). Wash and dry the meat. Score the skin with a sharp knife in a diagonal lattice. Heat the walnut oil in a frying pan and brown the meat. First fry the skin to a golden colour and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Then turn the meat just once. Crease an oven proof dish with the butter. Place the meat in the oven proof dish, skin face up. Add the red wine and place in the centre of the oven. Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Heat the Cumberland sauce and port, add the currants and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Roast the walnuts in a pan. Slice the meat and arrange it on plates. Pour on the sauce and sprinkle with the walnuts. Potato crisps make an ideal accompaniment.

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Casserole of Duck with Peaches Peaches make an excellent addition to the slightly gamey flavour of duck, and here they are complemented by a hint of sage. Barbary, Muscovy or the Nantois breeds of duck are less fatty than others. Preparation time: 35 minutes, Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours, Oven : Preheat to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4), Ingredients: serves 4 4 lb (1.8 kg) duck Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 lemon 6 shallots 1 clove garlic 21/2 oz (65g) butter 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1 bay leaf 4 fresh sage leaves 1 glass dry white wine 8 fl oz (225 ml) veal or chicken stock 3 large peaches 11/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar Method: The sweet flavour of ripe peaches mingles with fresh sage and dry white wine to complement rich gamey duck. Rinse inside the duck and pat it dry. Rub the inside with a little salt, pepper and half a lemon. Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic. Melt 1 oz (25 g) of the 207

butter with the virgin olive oil in a casserole. Sauté the shallots, garlic, chopped parsley, bay leaf and 2 sage leaves for 4 minutes. Place the duck on top and add 1/4-pint (150 ml) water and 1/2 oz (15 g) butter. Cover and cook in the oven for 50 minutes, basting frequently with water and butter, and turning to make sure it cooks evenly. Turn the oven down low. Remove the duck from the casserole and keep it warm in the oven. Pour away the fat from the casserole, then add half the wine and boil for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the stock, cooking gently for 5-8 minutes. Strain into a bowl, and discard the onion and garlic. Return the liquid to the casserole and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Dice the peaches into 1/2 in (15 mm) cubes. Saute over a mediumhigh heat in 1 oz (25 g) butter and balsamic vinegar for 1 minute, then add the sugar and remaining wine and sage. Cook for 1 minute. Remove the peaches and keep warm. Skim any fat off the stock before adding it to the casserole. Bring the sauce to the boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Spoon the sauce and peaches over the duck. Serve.

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Chinese Duck Ingredients: serves 4 2kg (4 lb) fresh duckling 60 ml (4 tbsp) cooking oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2.5 cm (1 in) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced 45 ml (3 tbsp) bean paste 30 ml (2 tbsp) light soy sauce 15 ml (1 tbsp) dark soy sauce 15 g (1 tbsp) sugar 1/2 tsp five spice powder 3-points star anise 450 ml (3/4 pt) duck stock or water salt to taste Method: Use the duck giblets to make a duck stock; strain and reserve 450 ml (3/4 pt). Heat the oil, fry the garlic without browning, then add the duck. Fry, turning frequently until the outside is slightly brown. Lift out the duck. Add the ginger, then the bean pastes to the pan. Cook to bring out the flavours. Add light and dark soy sauces, sugar and five spice powder. Return the duck to the pan and fry it in this mixture to coat the outside of the duck. Add the star anise, duck stock and seasoning to taste. Cover and cook over a gentle heat until the duck is tender, stirring occasionally. Allow 2 - 2 1/2 hours. Skim off any fat or oil, then leave in the sauce to cool. Cut into serving portions. Skim the sauce and pour it over each helping, which will set like a jelly. Garnish with spring onion. Serve with rice. 209

Chili Duck with Crab and Cashew Sauce This spicy dish would be delicious served with Thai rice, which is slightly aromatic. Ingredients: serves 4 - 6 2.75 kg (6 lb) duck 1.2 litres (2 pints) 5 cups water 2 kaffir lime leaves 7.5 ml (1/2 tsp) salt 2 - 3 small fresh red chilies, seeded and finely chopped 25 ml (5 tsp) sugar 30 ml (2 tbsp) coriander seeds 5 ml (1 tsp) caraway seeds 115 g (4 oz) 1 cup raw cashew nuts, chopped 7.5 cm (3 in) lemon grass 2.5 cm (1 in) galangal or fresh root ginger, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 4 shallots or 1 medium onion, finely chopped 2 cm (3/4 in) square shrimp paste 25 g (1 oz) coriander white root or stem, finely chopped 175 g (6 oz) frozen white crab meat, thawed 50 g (2 oz) creamed coconut 1 small bunch fresh coriander, chopped, to garnish boiled rice, to serve Method: Remove the legs from the duck, separate the thighs from the drumsticks and chop each thigh and drumstick into two pieces. Trim away the lower half of the duck with kitchen scissors. Cut the breast piece in half down the middle, then chop each half into four pieces. Put the duck flesh and bones into a large saucepan and cover with the water. Add the lime leaves and 5 ml (1 tsp) of the salt, bring to 210

the boil and simmer for 30 - 45 minutes, until the meat is tender. Discard the duck bones. Skim off the fat from the stock and set the stock aside. Grind together the chilies, sugar and remaining salt in a mortar with a pestle or in a food processor. Dry-fry the coriander seeds, caraway seeds and cashew nuts in a preheated wok for 1 - 2 minutes to release their flavour. Add the seeds and nuts to the chili mixture, together with the lemon grass, galangal or ginger, garlic and shallots or onion and reduce to a smooth paste. Add the shrimp paste and coriander root or stem and mix well. Add 250 ml (8 fl oz) 1 cup of the reserved stock and blend to make a thin paste. Pour the spice mixture into the saucepan with the duck and mix thoroughly. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes. Add the crab meat and creamed coconut and simmer briefly to heat through. Turn out on to a warmed serving dish, garnish with the chopped coriander and accompany with boiled rice.

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Duck and Ginger Chop Suey Ingredients: serves 4 2 duck breasts, about 175 g (6 oz) each 45 ml (3 tbsp) sunflower oil 1 small egg, lightly beaten 1 garlic clove 175 g (6 oz) beansprouts 2 slices fresh root ginger, cut into matchsticks 10 ml (2 tsp) oyster sauce 2 spring onions, cut into matchsticks salt and ground black pepper for the marinade 15 ml (1 tbsp) clear honey 10 ml (2 tsp) Chinese rice wine or dry sherry 10 ml (2 tsp) light soy sauce 10 ml (2 tsp) dark soy sauce Method: Remove the fat and skin from the duck, cut the breasts into thin strips and place in a bowl. Mix the marinade ingredients together, pour over the duck, cover, chill and marinate overnight. Next day, make the egg omelette. Heat a small frying pan and add 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the oil. When the oil is hot, pour in the egg and swirl around to make an omelette. Once cooked, leave it to cool and then cut into strips. Drain the duck and discard the marinade. Bruise the garlic with the flat blade of a knife. Heat 10 ml (2 tsp) of the oil in a preheated wok. When the oil is hot, 212

add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds, pressing it to release the flavour. Discard. Add the bean sprouts with seasoning and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Transfer to a heated dish, draining off any liquid. Heat the remaining oil in a preheated wok. When the oil is hot, stirfry the duck for 3 minutes until cooked. Add the ginger and oyster sauce and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the bean sprouts, egg strips and spring onions, stir-fry briefly and serve.

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Roast Duck with Orange Sauce Preparation time 20 minutes, Cooking time 2 - 2 1/2 hours, Oven temperature 190°C, 375°F, gas 5, Ingredients: serves 6 1.75 - 2.25 kg (4 - 5 lb) duck salt 300 ml (1/2 pint) chicken stock for the sauce 1 onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon oil 25 g (1 oz) plain flour 150 ml (1/4 pint) orange juice 2 tablespoons brandy (optional) salt and pepper Garnish: orange slices and watercress sprigs Method: Weigh the duck and calculate the cooking time. Allow 30 minutes per 450 g (1 lb). Rub the salt over the duck. Place the duck on a wire rack in a roasting tin and roast in a moderately hot oven for the calculated time. Remove the duck from the oven and place on a hot serving dish to keep warm. Pour off the fat and reserve any juices from the tin. To make the sauce: fry the onion in the oil until soft, add the flour and gradually blend in the orange juice, stock and reserved juices. Bring the sauce to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2 minutes, then add the brandy, if using, and seasoning. Serve the duck garnished with orange slices and watercress sprigs and serve the sauce separately. 214

Roast Stuffed Duckling Ingredients: serves 4 4 lb (1.8 kg) duckling orange wedges, to garnish for the stuffing 2 cups (4 oz) 120g white breadcrumbs duck liver, minced juice and grated rind of 1 orange 1/2 tsp dried sage 1mshallot, finely chopped 1 small egg, beaten salt and freshly ground black pepper Method: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) Gas Mk 6. Mix together all the stuffing ingredients and place in the neck of the duckling. Tuck up the flap and secure with a skewer or by sewing. Prick the skin and place on a rack in a roasting tin. Roast in the oven for 1 1/2 hours or until cooked. Serve garnished with the orange wedges.

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Roast Wild Duck Ingredients: serves 6 2 Cooking apples 2 onions 1.5 kg (3 lb) oven ready wild duck salt and freshly milled white pepper 3 tablespoons oil 100 g (4 oz) thin, rindless rashers streaky bacon 4 juniper berries, crushed 250 ml (8 fl oz) hot meat or game stock 250 ml (1/4 pint) dry red wine 1 teaspoon cornflour 2 tablespoons single cream Method: Peel the apples, cut them into wedges, core and cut each wedge in half again. Cut the onions into wedges. Rub the inside of the duck with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a roasting tin on the hob, brown the duck and cover it with bacon. Add the apple, onion and juniper berries and 150 ml (1/4 pint) of the stock. Roast the duck on the bottom shelf of a hot oven (220°C, 425°F, gas 7) for 1 hour, basting repeatedly and adding more hot stock as and when required. When cooked, turn off the oven, transfer the duck to a plate and leave it to stand in the oven. Dilute the juices in the tin with a little hot water, strain into a saucepan and stir in the wine. Stir the cornflour into the cream and use to thicken the sauce. 216

Slices of Duckling with Pasta Ingredients: serves 4 4 x 275 g (9 oz) boned breasts of duckling 25 g (1 oz) butter 50 g (1 3/4 oz) finely chopped carrots 50 g (1 3/4 oz) finely chopped shallots 1 tbsp lemon juice 150 ml (1/4 pint) meat stock 4 tbsp clear honey 115 g (4 oz) fresh or thawed frozen raspberries 25 g (1 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 400 g (14 oz) fresh linguine 1 tbsp olive oil salt and pepper to garnish: fresh raspberries and fresh sprig of flat-leaf parsley Method: Trim and score the duck breasts with a sharp knife and season well all over. Melt the butter in a frying pan (skillet), add the duck breasts and fry all over until lightly coloured. Add the carrots, shallots, lemon juice and half the meat stock and simmer over a low heat for 1 minute. Stir in half of the honey and half of the raspberries. Sprinkle over half of the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Season with pepper to taste and add the Worcestershire sauce.

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Stir in the remaining stock and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the remaining honey and remaining raspberries and sprinkle over the remaining flour. Cook for a further 3 minutes. Remove the duck breasts from the pan, but leave the sauce to continue simmering over a very low heat. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the linguine and olive oil and cook for 8 - 10 minutes or until tender, but still firm to the bite. Drain and divide between 4 individual plates. Slice the duck breast lengthways into 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick pieces. Pour a little sauce over the pasta and arrange the sliced duck in a fan shape on top of it. Garnish with raspberries and flat-leaf parsley and serve immediately.

218

Woodpigeon

The woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) is both the UK’s major agricultural bird pest and one of the most popular species providing sporting shooting. It is legal to shoot the bird all the year round under the current general licence arrangements. The woodpigeon makes good eating and provides nourishing cheap food, and appears on the menus of top restaurants. Currently the shooting of woodpigeon is controlled by general licences issued by Natural England for England, Welsh Assembly Government for Wales, Scottish Government for Scotland and in Northern Ireland by the NI Environment Agency (NIEA). No individual application is required for any licence; however, in Scotland you are legally obliged to have read and understood the licence relevant to your shooting. The general licences authorise shooting for specific purposes such as: preventing serious damage to crops, vegetables, fruit and foodstuffs for livestock, and for the purpose of preserving public health or public safety. It is important that any shooting complies fully with the terms and conditions of each general licence.

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In Britain the shooting of collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) and the feral pigeon (descended from Columba livia) is also permitted all year round. The stock dove (Columba oenas), rock dove (Columba livia) and turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) are all protected species and may not be shot at any time. In Northern Ireland all doves are protected at all times and woodpigeon and feral pigeon are listed on the general licences but these cannot be shot at night or on Sundays. On the Isle of Man the woodpigeon can be shot under the terms and conditions of their general licence for the prevention of damage and disease only, the feral pigeon for public health and public safety and the turtle dove is fully protected. Generally considered the tastiest and meatiest of all the pigeons, wood pigeons are commonplace in the wild. Allow one or two birds per person for a main course; two pan-fried breasts make a generous starter for one. Most of the meat comes from the breast and these are best quickly pan-fried and served pink. Some butchers would be happy to take the breasts off the birds for you (ask them to keep the carcasses for you as these make good stock). Young, tender pigeons can be roasted whole, but if you’re in doubt as to their age, braise or stew them instead.

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Pigeon Pie Ingredients: serves 4 3 pigeon breasts 1 – 2 rashers bacon ½ lb stewing steak, cut into small pieces 1 sliced hard boiled egg 1 dessertspoon flour Stock 1 teaspoon salt ½ lb flaky or short pastry ½ teaspoon pepper Egg and milk to glaze 1 teaspoon chopped parsley Method: Cut pigeon breasts into 4, right through the bones. Dip each piece of pigeon and steak into seasoned flour and arrange in a pie dish. Add parsley, diced bacon, hard-boiled egg and sufficient stock to about half fill the dish. Cover with pastry, decorate and glaze. Bake at first in a hot oven until pastry is browned, then lower temperature and cook for about 2 hours until the pigeons are tender. Protect pastry with greaseproof covering if necessary, to prevent over browning. When the pie is cooked, fill up with the remainder of stock.

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Braised Pigeon Ingredients: serves 4 1 – 2 oz fat bouquet garni onions, sliced Seasoning 2 – 3 pigeons ¾ pint stock 2 carrots, diced 1 oz flour 1 turnip ¼ lb mushrooms Method: Melt fat in the pressure cooker and fry onions lightly. Brown the pigeons and remove them. Put in the vegetables, herbs, seasoning and stock. Add pigeons and pressure cook for 20 minutes. Put pigeons on a hot dish. Stir flour into liquid in pan and bring to the boil. Add mushroom and cook for about 5 minutes. Strain over pigeons and garnish with the vegetables.

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Seared Pigeon, Bacon and Black Pudding Salad Cooking : 5-10 minutes Prep time: 15 minutes Ingredients: Serves 4 4 pigeon breasts 2 tbsp plain flour 400g good black pudding 200g smoked streaky bacon, cut into ½ cm dice 25 g butter Bottle of best balsamic vinegar Bottle of best extra virgin olive oil Bottle of sherry vinegar Juice of 1 lemon large handfuls of peppery leaves (I suggest Frisee, watercress and rocket ) Method: Get a good, heavy frying pan and stick it on the gas or Aga. Let it get really good and hot, then flour the pigeon breasts. Pour a tablespoon of oil into the pan and add the butter. When it foams, add the pigeon breasts. Cook them for about 90 seconds on each side, and then remove. Tip out the excess oil at this point, and add the bacon. Sizzle the bacon for a couple of minutes, then crumble the black pudding into the pan. Cook them together for another couple of minutes, then remove and drain the resulting rubble on kitchen paper.

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Put the pan back on the heat and pour in 4 tbsps. or so of balsamic vinegar, and 2 of sherry vinegar. Reduce this down to 2 tbsp worth of liquid and add the pigeon breasts back in to coat them in the sticky stuff. You are now ready to assemble. Place your salad leaves in a mixing bowl and anoint with lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Place a ball of salad in the middle of a big plate and strew the rubble of bacon and black pudding around the edges. Slice the warm pigeon breasts into 6 slices (it should be pink throughout) and lay artistically on top of the greenery. Now collect the tablespoon or so of balsamic reduction from the pan, mix with a little lemon juice and olive oil, and dribble it over the plate.

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Pigeon and Sausage Pie Ingredients: pigeons seasoning hard boiled eggs Parsley ¾ lb sausage meat chervil 2 oz fat bacon Stock Method: Take meat from raw birds and put aside. Boil carcasses for about 5 hours to make a good jelly. Put layers of pigeon meat into a casserole dish, alternated with layers of sliced egg and raw sausage meat plus a little bacon, sprinkle with some finely chopped parsley and season. Continue until the dish is three-quarters full. Pour over enough of the strained stock to just cover and simmer in a slow oven for about 2 hours. When cold, remove any fat from the top and add the remaining stock, into which should be mixed a lot of fairly finely chopped parsley and chervil. Put in a cold place overnight to set. Serve with salad of lettuce, watercress and sliced orange

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Stir-fried Pigeon Breasts Ingredients: Serves 4 6 pigeon breasts 12 juniper berries 50g (2oz) butter 1 tablespoon finely chopped sage 2 or 3 tablespoons port 225mls (8 fluid oz) soured cream Method: Remove the skin from the pigeon breasts and slice the meat finely. Crush the juniper berries, or shred them through a mouli herb shredder, and sprinkle them over the meat. Melt the butter and stir-fry the breasts for 3 or 4 minutes or until a sharp pronged fork will pierce the meat easily. Add the sage and the port and reduce slightly over a high heat. Stir in the soured cream. This dish is very good served with rice which has been lightly boiled and then fried in a tablespoon of olive oil with 6 rashers of well chopped smoked streaky bacon.

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Breast of wood pigeon with sweet potato rosti, buttered Savoy cabbage and red wine sauce Ingredients: For the sweet potato rösti 1 sweet potato, peeled, grated 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil salt freshly ground black pepper For the buttered Savoy cabbage ½ Savoy cabbage, shredded 40g/1½oz butter 5 sage leaves salt and freshly ground black pepper For the wood pigeon 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 wood pigeon breast, thinly sliced salt and freshly ground black pepper For the red wine sauce 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 250ml/9fl oz red wine bay leaf sprigs fresh thyme 5 juniper berries 2 tbsp butter salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method: 227

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. For the sweet potato rösti, Place the grated sweet potato into a tea towel and squeeze out any excess moisture. Transfer the grated sweet potato to a bowl, add the oil and mix well to combine. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a small ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat, add the potato mixture and press down well to pack the rösti together. Fry for 8-10 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, or until the rösti is crisp and golden- brown. For the cabbage, Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the shredded Savoy cabbage and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until tender, then drain well. Heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cooked shredded cabbage and sage leaves and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden-brown. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. For the wood pigeon, Heat the oil in a separate ovenproof frying pan over a high heat, add the sliced wood pigeon breast and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, or 228

until cooked to your liking. Remove the pigeon from the pan and set aside on a warm, covered plate to rest. For the sauce, Heat the oil in a non-reactive pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until softened. Add the red wine, bay leaf, thyme and juniper berries and simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and reduced in volume by half. Add the butter and stir until melted, then strain the sauce and reserve the liquid. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. To serve, place the sweet potato rösti into the centre of a serving plate. Spoon the cabbage on top. Arrange the slices of wood pigeon breast alongside. Drizzle over the red wine sauce.

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Goose

The word goose (plural: geese) is the English name for a considerable number of birds, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller. A number of other waterbirds, mostly related to the shelducks, have "goose" as part of their name. There are three living genera of true geese: Anser, grey geese, including the domesticated goose and the Swan Goose; Chen, white geese (often included in Anser); and Branta, black geese, such as the Canada goose.

Two genera of "geese" are only tentatively placed in the Anserinae; they may belong to the shelducks or form a subfamily on their own: Cereopisis, the Cape Barren Goose, and Cnemionis, the prehistoric New Zealand Goose. Either these or, more probably, the goose-like Coscoroba Swan is the closest living relative of the true geese. 230

Before being usurped by turkey, goose was the preferred choice for the Christmas lunch table in England and more recently there are signs of it making a bit of a comeback. Goose meat is richer and darker than turkey. It has a higher fat content, but a lot of the fat melts away during cooking leaving deliciously tasty and succulent meat. Although not cheap, goose makes a wonderful treat for any special meal. In addition the goose fat collected during cooking makes the best roast potatoes and is almost worth the entrance price alone. Geese were bred in ancient Egypt and goose liver was esteemed by the Romans. Goose has long been important in French cuisine where it plays a key part in traditional dishes such as cassoulet, confit d'oie and foie gras. It is now eaten widely in Europe and Asia, especially China. Goose has a wonderfully rich, buttery flavour, bordering on the beefy, thanks to its grass diet. It's certainly a fatty bird, but don't let that put you off - the flavour is worth it. The most popular strain of commercial goose is the Legarth, a white-feathered bird with a high meat-to-bone ratio. This breed is very well-suited to free-range grazing. The Embden is another white variety that shares similar characteristics. Geese, by their very nature, are all free-range, but some will, of course, be better reared than others.

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Roasting a Goose Ingredients: 1 goose, weighing 4-5kg/9-11lb Preparation method Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas5. Prick the skin of the goose all over with a skewer so that the fat can run out during cooking. Trim off any excess fat from the bird. Season with salt and pepper. Put on a wire rack in a large roasting tin and cover with foil. Roast in the oven for 3½ hours until the juices run clear. Take the foil off 30 minutes before the end of roasting so that the skin can become crisp and brown. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Serve with gravy made from the juices, bacon rolls and stuffing.

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Roast Goose, Caramelised Brussels Sprouts and Peach and Sage Sauce

Ingredients: For the goose 1 goose, about 4-5kg/8lb 13oz-11lb 2 peaches 1 bunch sage Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 3 onions 3 carrots For the stock Trimmings from the goose 1 large onion, chopped 1 large carrot, chopped 800ml/1 pint 8¾fl oz dark chicken stock For the roast potatoes 1kg/2lb potatoes, chopped into equal-sized pieces Salt and freshly ground black pepper For the Swede purée 1 large Swede Few knobs of butter Pinch salt For the caramelised Brussels sprouts 500g/1lb 1½oz small Brussels sprouts 200g/7¼oz smoked bacon Drizzle olive oil Knob of butter Salt and freshly ground black pepper 233

For the bread sauce 800ml/1 pint 8¾fl oz milk 1 onion, studded with 1 bay leaf and 3 cloves 100g/3½oz butter 1 onion, chopped 200g/7¼oz white bread, crusts removed, cut into cubes Salt and freshly ground black pepper Generous grating fresh nutmeg Method: Prepare the goose by taking out the wish bone: turn the goose breast-side down and pull back the skin to reveal the bone. Using a sharp knife, cut around the bone and slip your finger around the bone and pull it out. Carefully cut off the wing tips with a sharp knife. Keep any trimmings for the stock. The stock can be prepared the day before: place the wing tips and wish bone in a large heavy- bottomed saucepan and brown over a medium heat. When the goose has turned golden-brown, add the chopped onion and carrot and continue to cook until the vegetables are golden-brown. Cover with the chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer for one hour. At the end of the cooking time, strain the stock through a fine sieve into a pan and leave to one side. Preheat the oven to 200C/390F/Gas 6 and place a roasting tray inside the oven to heat up. Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones. Place three peach halves and the bunch of sage (setting aside one sprig) into the cavity of the goose. Set aside the sprig of sage and one of the peach halves.

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Tie up the goose with string, to hold in the peaches. Score the skin of the goose with a sharp knife, taking care not to pierce the meat this will help release the fat while cooking. Season the goose with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove the roasting tray from the oven with an oven glove, and place the heated roasting tray on the hob. Drizzle olive oil into the tray and brown the goose all over in the roasting tray. Pour away any excess fat, setting it aside in a small bowl. Cut the onions and carrots into large pieces and place in the middle of the roasting tray. Put the goose on top of the vegetables and cook in the hot oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven to 175C/350F/Gas 4 and cook for a further 40-50 minutes. (NB: This recipe makes a rare goose; the Food Standards Agency recommends a cooking time of 2½-3 hours for a bird this size- if you are concerned check the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat.) Remove the tray from the oven and leave the meat to rest. While the goose is in the oven, tip the drained off fat onto a roasting tray and heat over a medium hob. Add the potatoes and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Shake the tray to cover the potatoes in the fat. Transfer to the oven and cook along with the goose. For the Swede purée, peel and cut the Swede into 2.5cm/1in cubes with a sharp knife. Place in a saucepan and just cover with cold water and a knob of butter. Bring to the boil, season with salt and continue to cook until the Swede is tender. When the Swede is ready, drain off any excess liquid. In a food processor, blend the Swede to a purée, adding a few more knobs of butter. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm. 235

For the caramelised Brussels sprouts, tip the Brussels sprouts into a pan of salted boiling water. When the sprouts are just cooked, but still retain a little bite, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. When the sprouts are completely cool, drain them well and cut each one in half. Cut the smoked bacon into small dice. Heat a little olive oil and the butter in a frying pan on a medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden-brown. Remove the bacon from the pan and transfer to a small bowl. Add a little more butter and olive oil if necessary and fry the sprouts until they are lightly caramelised. Return the bacon dice to the pan. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and keep warm. For the bread sauce, bring the milk and the studded onion to the boil in a saucepan. After the milk reaches a boil, turn off the heat and leave to cool. Heat a knob of butter in a clean saucepan until melted. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, but not coloured. Pour the cold milk into the softened onion pan, removing the studded onion, and bring back up to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the cubed bread to the milk. Stir for a minute or so to break up the bread. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and grate in nutmeg to taste. Stir in the remaining butter to make a smooth sauce. Place a lid on the saucepan and leave to sit for 30 minutes before serving. To make the sauce for the goose, remove the apricots and sage from inside the goose. Discard the fat and vegetables from the roasting tray. 236

Place the empty roasting tray back on the hob over a medium heat. Add the apricots and sage and cook until softened. Add the goose stock and bring to the boil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Chop the remaining sage leaves and the peach half. Add the chopped sage to the strained sauce and simmer over a medium heat for 30 seconds before serving. To serve, carve the goose into equal potions and place on a warm plate. Spoon the Swede purée on the top, the Brussels sprouts and bacon on the side and drizzle with the sauce, making sure that the peach and sage sit on top of the goose meat. Serve the remaining sauce, roast potatoes and bread sauce on the side.

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Roast Goose with Two Stuffing’s This celebratory goose dish with its choice of seasonal stuffing’s makes a great alternative Christmas dinner recipe. Ingredients: 4-5.5kg/9-12lb goose For the outside-in stuffing 110g/4oz dried cranberries or dried apricots 60ml/2fl oz ruby port small onion, chopped rashers green (unsmoked) back bacon, cut into strips 45g/1½oz butter 2 cloves garlic, chopped 450g/1lb sausage meat 85g/3oz fresh white or brown breadcrumbs, from a good quality loaf 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped 150g/5oz peeled, cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped 1 egg, lightly beaten Salt Freshly ground black pepper For the shallot, sage, hazelnut and orange stuffing 350g/12oz shallots, thinly sliced 60g/2oz butter 15g/½oz caster sugar 1 orange, finely grated zest and juice only 3 heaped tbsp fresh sage, chopped 85g/3oz roasted, skinned hazelnuts roughly chopped 150g/5oz fresh white breadcrumbs, from a good quality loaf 1 egg, beaten Salt, freshly ground black pepper Method: 238

To make the outside-in stuffing, Soak the cranberries in the port for an hour. Fry the onion and bacon gently in the butter until the onion is tender and the bacon cooked. Add the garlic and fry for another minute or so. Cool slightly then mix with the remaining ingredients, including the cranberries and port, adding enough of the egg to bind. Fry a small piece of stuffing to test seasoning and adjust accordingly. To make the hazelnut and orange stuffing, fry the shallots gently in the butter until golden, then add the sugar and the orange juice. Simmer until the liquid has virtually all evaporated leaving a delicious jammy mass of shallots. Pour boiling water over the sage, leave for one minute, then drain and squeeze dry. Add to the shallots, along with all the other ingredients. Fry a small piece of stuffing to test seasoning and adjust accordingly To prepare the goose, trim the excess fat from inside the goose. Pack the 'outside-in' stuffing into the neck end of the goose, pressing it firmly and then tucking the flap of skin neatly down around it. Secure firmly underneath with wooden cocktail sticks or a metal skewer. Three-quarters fill the stomach cavity with the hazelnut and orange stuffing. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas5. Prick the skin of the goose all over with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Lay some of the fat removed from the cavity over the thighs to keep them moist.

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Cover with foil and place on a rack in the oven with a tray underneath so that you can empty out the fat regularly. Roast a 4kg/9lb goose for three hours, a 4.5-5kg/10-11lb goose for three-and-a-half hours and a 5.5kg/12lb goose for four hours. Remove the foil for 30-40 minutes before the end of the cooking time so that the skin can brown and crisp. To test it is cooked; pierce the fattest part of the thigh with a skewer. If the juices run clear then the bird is done. Rest for 20-30 minutes, oven turned off with the door ajar, before carving.

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Roast Goose with Port Gravy Ingredients: Serves: 10 1 whole goose Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 4 slices crusty bread 3 onions 2 stalks celery 2 carrots 250ml (9 fl oz) boiling water 250ml (9 fl oz) dry white wine 4 tablespoons tawny port 5 tablespoons plain flour 750ml (1¼ pints) chicken stock Method: Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 3 hours Discard loose fat from goose. Remove neck, cut into large pieces and reserve. Rinse goose inside and out and pat dry. Pierce skin of goose all over and season with salt and pepper. Loosely pack neck cavity with enough bread to fill. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with a small skewer. Quarter 1 onion and all the celery, and place inside the body cavity of the goose. Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string or insert legs through slit in lower skin flap. Transfer goose breast side up to a rack set in a deep roasting tin. Cut remaining 2 onions and carrots into large pieces. Scatter onion and carrot, neck pieces and giblets in roasting tin. Roast goose at 220 C / Gas mark 7 in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes. 241

Reduce temperature to 160 C / Gas mark 3. Carefully pour boiling water over goose; juices may splatter. Continue roasting goose, skimming off fat and basting with juices using a metal bulb baster every 20 minutes. Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours more, or until a meat thermometer inserted in fleshy part of thigh registers 80 C. When done, the juices should run clear when thigh is pierced with a fork. Transfer goose to a heated platter. Remove skewer and discard string. Keep goose warm and loosely covered with aluminium foil until ready to serve. With a slotted spoon, discard vegetables, neck pieces and giblets from tin. Spoon off fat from pan juices and reserve. On top of the hob, deglaze the tin with white wine and port over moderately high heat, stirring to scrape up brown bits. Add chicken stock and boil mixture until reduced by about half. In a 3-litre heavy saucepan, whisk together 4 tablespoons reserved fat and flour; cook roux over moderately low heat, whisking to prevent lumps. Whisk wine mixture into the roux. Bring gravy to the boil, whisking constantly. Turn down heat. Simmer gravy, whisking frequently, for 5 minutes or until thickened. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Transfer gravy to a heated sauceboat.

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Christmas Goose Ingredients: Serves: 10 1 goose, 4 to 5 kg Salt and pepper to taste 1 apple, peeled and quartered 1 orange, peeled and quartered 1 lemon, peeled and quartered 250ml hot water Method: Prep: 5 mins | Cook: 2 hours | Extra time: 20 mins Sprinkle the goose cavity with salt and pepper. Place the apple, orange and lemon in the cavity. Place goose breast side up on a rack in a large roasting tin. Prick skin well with a fork. Pour water into tin. Roast the goose uncovered at 180 C / Gas 4 for 2 to 3 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 85 degrees C. To let the juices, redistribute, cover goose with foil and let stand for 20 minutes before carving.

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Goose with Orange Glaze Ingredients: Serves: 4 4 goose breasts Salt to taste 1 dash dry vermouth 1 tablespoon grated orange zest 1 orange, juiced 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon dark brown soft sugar 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds Method: Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 30 mins Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Rinse the breasts in cold water and place in baking dish. Splash with vermouth, then season with salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, dark brown soft sugar, garlic and soy sauce. Season with mustard and caraway seeds. Pour glaze over breasts in baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until no longer pink and juices run clear. Baste at least twice during baking

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Christmas Spiced Roast Goose with Apple Stuffing Ingredients: Serves: 8 1 whole goose Spice rub: 1/4 tsp ground allspice 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon Salt and freshly ground black pepper Apple stuffing: 8 apples, tart or sweet, or both Vegetable oil or goose fat 6 tablespoons brandy or calvados 2 teaspoons cinnamon Method: Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 3 hours | Extra time: 10 mins Preheat the oven to 200 C / Gas mark 6. Prick the skin on the goose breasts really well. Cover the legs with some of the spare fat from the goose (if available) to prevent them from drying and burning Mix together the ingredients for the spice rub and massage into the skin of the goose. To make the stuffing, core and cut the apples into slices. Fry the apples gently in the goose fat or oil in batches in a large pan until lightly browned all over. Sprinkle with the brandy or calvados and cinnamon.

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Stuff the goose cavity with the apple mixture. Place the goose on a large sheet of foil. Make a parcel around the goose with a small hole (1/4 - 1/2 inch) at the bottom to allow the excess fat to escape. Make a fold over the legs as it will help to ensure that they do not burn. Place the goose in a roasting tin, breast up, on a trivet if you have one. If no trivet just place the goose wrapped in the foil; in the roasting tin with the hole in the foil just off the bottom to allow draining. Place tin in the preheated oven. Cook for 15 mins per 450g (1 lb), plus a further 20 minutes. Baste hourly and ensure the legs remain covered. For the last 45 minutes uncover the breast to crisp the top skin by opening the foil and folding it back; leave the foil protecting the legs. Baste well. Once cooked, lift the goose onto a carving dish and put in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes to rest. Don't forget to use the goose fat to roast the best potatoes ever, and the giblets to make the gravy.

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Crispy Roast Goose with Wild Rice Stuffing Ingredients: Serves: 12 1 goose 250g (9 oz) wild rice 1.25 litres (2 pints) cold water good knob butter 1 onion, chopped 375g (13 oz) shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1 egg Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 150ml (1/4 pint) dry sherry 475ml (16 fl oz) giblet stock Method: Prep: 1 hour | Cook: 3 hours 30 mins Carefully prick the goose on all sides with a cocktail stick, taking care to avoid piercing the flesh. Fill a pot large enough to hold the goose 2/3 full of water and bring to the boil. Submerge bird neck side down for 1 minute until goose bumps arise on the goose. Turn goose to tail side down and repeat the process. Remove goose from the pot and drain. Place goose breast side up on a rack in a large roasting tin. Set in the refrigerator, uncovered, to dry the skin for 24 to 48 hours. Cook the rice the night before roasting the goose: Place the rice in a pot with water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion until tender. Mix in cooked rice, mushrooms and egg. Season mixture with salt and pepper. 247

Sprinkle the goose inside and out with salt and pepper. Fill goose cavities with the rice and mushroom mixture. Seal cavities with kitchen string and place the goose breast side down on a rack in a roasting tin. Roast bird 1 1/2 hours in preheated oven; do not open the oven door. Remove bird from the oven and use a baster to remove the fat that has accumulated in the bottom of the tin. Turn bird on its back in the roasting tin, and continue roasting 1 hour or until the internal temperature when tested with a meat thermometer has reached a minimum of 80 C. Increase the oven temperature to 200 C / Gas mark 6. Remove goose from the oven and transfer to a larger tin. Return to the oven for 15 minutes to further crisp and brown the bird. Take out the goose and let it sit uncovered for 30 minutes before removing stuffing. To make gravy, place the original roasting tin over 2 burners. Mix in dry sherry and scrape the tin with a wooden spoon. Combine these drippings with giblet stock to make gravy for the goose and stuffing.

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