If you’ve lived to age 60 and eaten three squares daily, you’ve already sat through more than 60,000 meals. How many of those involved wild fish and game, and how many dishes were so good you’ll never forget them? Here are three of my all-time favorites.
Ptarmigan Pot Pie This little delicacy came out of a Quebec caribou hunt, thanks to camp chef Doug Winslow of Orrington, Maine. Winslow made a stock from browned ptarmigan bones, and while they simmered he parboiled carrots and potatoes in a second pot and sautéed diced onions, mushrooms and celery in a big Dutch oven. After straining the stock, he brought it to a boil and reduced it by half before thickening it to gravy consistency with a simple roux of vegetable oil and flour. Salt, pepper and paprika were the seasonings. Deglazing the Dutch oven with a snort of red wine, Winslow dusted the boneless ptarmigan breasts with flour before searing, mixing in the half-cooked veggies and covering everything with gravy. The final touch was to roof the dish with a simple pie dough and bake for 45 minutes at 350°. Note: Don’t have ptarmigan? Try prairie grouse, ducks, woodcock or any other dark-fleshed bird.
Creamed PheasantCredit this dish to Paul Martin, former chef at Willow Lake Sportsman’s Club, in Three Rivers, Michigan. Parboil a whole pheasant. When cooled, finger-shred the meat to remove bones and any bird shot. Strain and save the stock. Sauté diced onions and slivers of garlic, and set aside. In a large pot, mix one can each of condensed mushroom, chicken and celery soup, and dilute with the stock. Add the sauté, shredded pheasant and herbs of choice (I like fresh basil), and simmer for an hour. At the halfway mark, add sliced mushrooms, and with 10 minutes to go, sluice with a half-cup of heavy cream. Pour over cooked rice, noodles or potatoes. Note: Ruffed grouse, quail and partridge are other light-breasted birds to try.
Woodcock Wonderful The late Tim Leary, Shooting Sportsman contributing editor and bird hunter, made this delicacy when I hunted with him in his home state of New Hampshire. Thinly slice boned woodcock breasts and sear in olive oil, removing them when medium rare and setting them aside. To the hot pan add a diced shallot, clove or two of garlic, a bit of thyme, and a crushed juniper berry. Sauté until shallot bits are translucent, add back the meat, and flambé with a hit of cognac (for dramatic effect). Kill the blue flame with a splash of heavy cream, pour everything over toast points and serve. Note: Adding woodcock legs to the sauté ensures you’ll have toothpicks!
Field-to-fork, free-range, naturally clean meat. If you, too, grew up with “You kill it, you eat it,” then these dainty gamebird dishes will set well before any king at your table.
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