Jonathan Miles

Canadian Whiskey: The Camp Comeback

Online Editors — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:12:32 -0500

For whatever reason, I encounter Canadian whiskey at hunting camps way more often than I do in restaurants, bars, or homes. Could be the lower price. Could be the mellow character, which lends itself to long hours of fireside sipping. Or it could just be tradition.

The popularity of Canadian whiskey boomed during and after Prohibition, and as those of us who frequent family hunting camps are aware, Grandpa’s way is often the only way. Problem is, the quality of Canadian whiskey has remained level—that is to say, mostly mediocre.

But there’s good news: That imbalance is changing. The folks behind Buffalo Trace, one of the sacred names in bourbon, pioneered this revival with Caribou Crossing and Royal Canadian Small Batch, two excellent examples of Canada’s single-barrel comeback attempt. Forty Creek Whisky’s Barrel Select, from Ontario, is barreled in old sherry casks, giving it a rich, distinct flavor.

And for celebrating that trophy buck, there’s Hirsch Selection’s 20-year-old Canadian Rye Whisky, from Nova Scotia, which is characteristically light yet intense and complex, a perfect sipping whiskey that’ll bring a smile to any face, even Grandpa’s.

Recipe: How To Cook Roast Grouse With Mushrooms

Online Editors — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 23:19:17 -0500

Ask any deer camp old-timer for a foolproof recipe, and you're likely to encounter a lot of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup. There is a reason for that: Mushrooms plus cream plus game meat adds up to a perfect trinity of flavors. This recipe chucks the can, and all its high-sodium gloppiness, while retaining the earthy comfort that made mushrooms and cream the go-to sauce for generations of hunters.

Ingredients

Grouse:
4 grouse
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
8 strips bacon

Sauce:

2 Tbsp. butter
20 oz. cremini or wild mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin (morels, chanterelles, or a mix of wild and cultivated would be good)
1 shallot, minced
1 cup rich chicken stock (or defatted drippings from the pan)
3 sprigs thyme
12 cup creme (or crème fraîche)
(or)

1 Tbsp. bourbon
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. ROAST THE GROUSE: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Rinse the birds, pat dry, then smear each with a tablespoon of softened butter. Generously salt and pepper, inside and out. Wrap 2 bacon slices around each grouse, then set them in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven until the grouse is browned, about 25 minutes. Remove to a plate and let rest, covered loosely in tinfoil, while you make the sauce.

2. MAKE THE SAUCE: Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and about 1/2 tsp. salt and sauté, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release a lot of moisture and begin to smell fragrant, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the shallot. Sauté until soft, and until most of the moisture has gone out of the pan, about 4 minutes. Add the stock (or defatted drippings from the roasting pan) and thyme sprigs and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Pour in the cream and bourbon and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 3–5 minutes.
3. TO SERVE, spoon the sauce onto four plates, and rest a grouse in the center of each. Sprinkle thyme over the grouse. SERVES 4

Recipe: How To Cook Green Chile Venison Stew

Online Editors — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 19:38:21 -0400

Here's a flavorful and simple stew inspired by the Native American cooking of the Southwest. The marriage of mild chiles and venison is a classic one, and this is especially good with Apache bread—cornmeal and bacon fat, roasted in a corn husk—crumbled on top. If you're in the Southwest, use the best green chiles you can find. For the rest of us, the canned variety sold in most grocery stores (Old El Paso, etc.) will suffice just fine; figure on four 7-ounce cans, and drain the chiles before adding to the stew.

Directions

MAKE THE APACHE BREAD: Soak the dried corn husks (available at many grocery stores and Latin American markets) in water until soft and pliable, about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the cornmeals in a medium bowl with salt and pepper, then add the boiling water and bacon drippings and stir with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Using your hands, form the dough into eight fat cylinders, then wrap these with the corn husks, tying the ends with kitchen twine. Place the filled husks on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour.

START THE STEW: Dry the meat, and salt and pepper generously. Heat the oil over high heat in a Dutch oven, and brown the meat in batches so as not to crowd the pot. Use additional oil, if necessary. Remove the meat and set aside.

YOU SHOULD HAVE about 3 Tbsp. oil left in the pan; add more if needed. Add the onions, reduce the heat to medium, and sauté until limp and golden; then stir in the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Return the meat, and any juices, to the pot, then add the bay leaves and chicken stock and bring to a boil.

REDUCE THE HEAT to low and skim any impurities from the surface. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour, then remove the cover and simmer for 30 minutes more. Add the chiles and bell pepper, and cook for 15 minutes. Add the cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, and serve with the warm bread, removed from the husks, on the side.

SERVES 4–6

INGREDIENTS
8 dried corn husks
3/4 cup white cornmeal
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. bacon drippings
2 lb. venison, cut in 1-inch cubes
4 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 onions, diced
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
3 cups roasted, peeled, chopped green chiles
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, finely chopped

Recipe: How To Cook Trucker's Rice With Deer Jerky

Online Editors — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 17:53:47 -0400

Several years ago, on a fishing trip in Brazil, the camp cook served me a mysterious bowl of meat and rice. “We call this arroz de carreteiro,” the cook said, translating that as “trucker's rice” and explaining it this way: The meat was dried beef, or jerky, which, cooked with rice, made for a simple meal for long-haul truckers to prepare when traversing Brazil's wide open spaces, where fresh ingredients can be hard to come by. Easy and addictive, it has since become my camping staple.

Directions

REMOVE THE JERKY from the water, then dice into fine cubes. Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium-size pot or Dutch oven, then add the onion. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and limp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, then add the jerky and tomato, raise the heat to high, and continue to cook, stirring, for about another minute. Add some freshly ground black pepper. Add the rice and bay leaf and stir to coat the rice with the oil, then add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until nearly all the water is absorbed, about 16 minutes, then turn off the heat and let sit for about 5 minutes.

SOAK THE JERKY for several hours—1 hour, at the very least—to rehydrate. Cover entirely with water. Changing the water once or twice will help reduce the saltiness.

WHEN THE RICE IS READY, gently stir in the parsley. Taste for salt; the jerky should provide enough saltiness, but add more if desired. In Brazil, this is often spiked with generous dashes of molho à campanha, or hot sauce; try it with a dose of Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce.

SERVES 6

How To Freeze Your Fish In A Block Of Ice

Online Editors — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 23:37:03 -0400

The enemy of successful, long-term freezing is air. When air meets food, dehydration occurs, leading to freezer burn. With delicate proteins like fish, freezer burn can be downright fatal, ruining both texture and flavor. If you don’t own a vacuum sealer, freeze your catch in a block of ice. this locks out any corrupting air by sealing the fish in a familiar element—water. this is best done with fillets, though whole cleaned fish can be frozen this way too. Freeze the Burn keep your fish fresh as the day you caught itwith this preservation method.

Step 1: Scale and gut the fish. If fillets are what you’ll be cooking, fillet all fish instead, and portion the fillets so that you won’t be thawing more than you’ll be eating.

Step 2: Put the fish in a large container and fill with water. Knock the sides to roust any air bubbles. Place in the freezer until the water is solid.

Step 3: Transfer the ice to a freezer bag. Label the bag, and return to the freezer. To defrost, place the block in a bowl and allow it to melt in the refrigerator.

Recipe: How To Cook Buttermilk Poached Trout

Online Editors — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 22:33:51 -0400

For me, there's something likable, but not quite lovable, about poached fish: the ultraclean flavor, the melt-away texture, the no-fat virtuousness. But the result is oftentimes bland—a little too clean and virtuous, like spa food. After a solid day of fishing, I'm craving something hearty. That's where a jug of buttermilk comes in. Poaching fish in buttermilk yields the luscious texture and pure flavor, but with a more substantial richness and a poaching liquid you'll want to lap up with a spoon.

Directions

SEASON THE FILLETS with salt and pepper. Combine the fish with the buttermilk and tarragon, in a single layer, in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the buttermilk begins to simmer, cover the pan and cook 2 minutes. Gently roll the fillets over, and cook another minute until the fish is firm but not falling apart.
WITH A SLOTTED SPATULA, remove the fillets to a plate and keep warm, either by covering with foil or by placing in a warm oven. Remove the tarragon sprig and discard. Transfer the buttermilk, which will have separated during cooking, to a blender and add the remaining 4 Tbsp. of butter. (If you have one of those handheld immersion blenders, this is a prime time to use it.) Blend until the butter is smoothly incorporated and the buttermilk is no longer separated. Add the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste

IN A LARGE SAUTÉ PAN, heat 1 Tbsp. of butter over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until most of the fat is rendered and the bacon is almost crisp. Add the greens, and toss them using tongs until they begin to wilt. Add about 1/2 cup of water and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook until the mustard greens are just tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper, and keep warm until ready to serve.

PLACE THE GREENS in a shallow bowl and top with the fish. Pour some of the buttermilk over and around the fish. Sprinkle with the chives and serve.
SERVES 4

Recipe: Buttermilk Poached Trout with Bacon-Spiked Greens

colinkearns — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:05:58 -0400

For me, there’s something likable, but not quite lovable, about poached fish: the ultraclean flavor, the melt-away texture, the ease of the poaching process, the no-fat virtuousness. But the result is oftentimes bland—a little too clean and virtuous, like spa food. After a solid day of fishing, I’m craving something hearty. That’s where a jug of buttermilk comes in. Poaching fish in buttermilk—a technique pioneered by New York super chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten—yields the familiar luscious texture and pure flavor, but with a more sinful richness and a poaching liquid you’ll want to lap up with a spoon. Any fish will be splendid this way—especially trout and walleye. —Jonathan Miles

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. plus 4 Tbsp. butter
2 slices bacon, preferably thick-cut, diced
1 1/2 lb. (2 bunches) mustard greens, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves halved
1/2 cup water 4 6-oz. fillets of trout, walleye, pike, or other fish
3 cups buttermilk
1 sprig fresh tarragon
Juice of one lemon, to taste
1 Tbsp. fresh chives, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 Tbsp. of butter over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until most of the fat is rendered and the bacon is almost crisp. Add the greens, and toss them using tongs until they begin to wilt. Add about 1/2 cup of water and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook until the greens are just tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper, and keep warm until ready to serve.

2. Season the fillets with salt and pepper. Combine the fish with the buttermilk and tarragon, in a single layer, in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When the buttermilk begins to simmer, cover the pan and cook 2 minutes. Gently roll the fillets over, and cook another minute until the fish is firm but not falling apart.

3. With a slotted spatula, remove the fillets to a plate and keep warm, either by covering with foil or by placing in a warm oven. Remove the tarragon sprig and discard. Transfer the buttermilk, which will have separated during cooking, to a blender and add the remaining 4 Tbsp. of butter. (If you have one of those handheld immersion blenders, this is a prime time to use it.) Blend until the butter is smoothly incorporated and the buttermilk is no longer separated. Add the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Place the greens in a shallow bowl and top with the fish. Pour some of the buttermilk over and around the fish. Sprinkle with the chives and serve.

Recipe: How To Cook Root Beer Glazed Duck Breast

Online Editors — Sat, 15 May 2010 20:33:04 -0400

The rich flavors of duck meat have always attracted sweet, fruit-based sauces. Witness duck à l'orange, for instance. In this recipe, we forgo the fruit for something darker, woodsier, but no less sweet: root beer. Once it is reduced down to a saucy glaze, the root beer offers a tangy new twist on the classic combination. It's incredibly easy, but more than elegant enough to serve guests. And when they take their first bites, ask to see if they can guess the secret ingredient.

DIRECTIONS

MAKE THE GLAZE: Combine the root beer, brown sugar, ketchup, lemon zest, and mustard in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture is saucy and coats the back of a spoon.
HEAT A LARGE SAUTÉ PAN (or grill pan) over high heat until very hot. Pat the duck breasts dry with a paper towel and lay them skin-side down in the pan. Reduce the heat slightly, to medium-high, and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes.
TOAST THE SESAME SEEDS: Place the seeds in a small pan over medium heat. Shaking the pan occasionally, cook until the seeds turn golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes, being careful not to scorch them. Remove from heat and let cool.
FLIP THE MEAT OVER and generously brush with the root-beer glaze. Cook for 2 minutes, or until just medium-rare. Flip again, brush the meat side with the glaze, and remove to a cutting board. Cover with foil and allow to rest about 5 to 8 minutes.
REMOVE THE DUCK BREASTS from the refrigerator about 15 minutes before cooking, and salt. (If using domestic, farm-raised ducks, score the skin with a sharp knife, in a crosshatch pattern.)
TO SERVE, SPOON ANY REMAINING GLAZE onto the breasts and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds, then slice. Mashed sweet potatoes make a fine accompaniment.

INGREDIENTS

2 large whole duck breasts (mallard, pintail, canvas-back), or 3 medium breasts (wood duck, wigeon)
4 tsp. sesame seeds
1/2 cup Barq's, Boylan, or other strong root beer
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 tsp. Dijon mustard

How to Cook Roasted Leg of Venison

Online Editors — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:21:52 -0500

Here's one for your inner caveman: a whole roasted venison leg, just like Fred Flintstone would've cooked it. This is game cookery at its most primal and dramatic, and the results are a showpiece—which is good, as you'll need a crowd to help you eat it. Because the meat is only mildly doctored—with a classic wet rub of olive oil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, and juniper berries—and cooked in an unforgiving manner, the key to success here is a prime hunk of meat ideally from a younger deer, field dressed impeccably, and aged if possible. Thumping your chest while gnawing the bones is optional.

MAKE THE RUB: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, thyme, garlic, rosemary, juniper berries, salt, and pepper until it resembles a coarse paste. (Add a little more olive oil, if needed, to make it goopy enough to spread.) Rub this mixture onto the venison, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. Remove the leg from the refrigerator several hours before cooking. It should be at room temperature when it goes into the oven.

PREHEAT THE OVEN to 350 degrees. Drizzle the meat with the vegetable oil, patting it lightly with your fingers to coat evenly, and place the leg on the rack of a large roasting pan. Roast, undisturbed, for 1 hour.

HEAT THE STOCK to a low simmer on the stovetop. Turn the meat. Using a baster or ladle, baste the meat with about half of the hot stock, and roast for another hour.

TURN THE ROAST a second time, and repeat the basting. After about 15 minutes, check the meat in its thickest part with an instant-read meat thermometer. The cooking time will depend on the size of the roast. Remove the roast when the thermometer reads 120 degrees for rare, or 126 for medium rare. (The meat will keep cooking after it's removed.)

REMOVE THE ROAST to a large cutting board and allow it to rest, tented with a few sheets of aluminum foil, for about 20 minutes. Carve and serve.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup fresh thyme leaves
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup rosemary, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp. juniper berries, crushed
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup cracked black peppercorns
1 whole venison hind leg, bone-in (12-15 lb.)
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 cups game or beef stock

How To Cook Salmi Of Wild Duck

Online Editors — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 21:52:28 -0500

A salmi is an oldfangled, richly flavored game stew—often served, like chipped beef, over toast—that was a delicacy popular in the 1890s. This modern version is a luscious, soul-satisfying use for whole ducks.

DIRECTIONS:

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 450 DEGREES. Dry the ducks, inside and out, and salt and pepper generously. Spread tine softened butter over each bird and place ducks, breast side down, in a shallow roasting pan. Roast until the meat is barely rare; it will finish cooking later. The cooking time will depend on size, but start checking as early as 8 or 10 minutes in. Go ahead and cut into the meat to check, as you'll be hashing it all up soon anyway. Remove from the oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, chop the meat into medium-size pieces, reserving the bones, skin, and trimmings.

HEAT THE OIL in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and cloves, along with more salt and pepper, and cook for another minute. Add the trimmings, bones, and skin, and cook for an additional minute, stirring. Pour in the stock and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for about 2 hours, or until the mixture is reduced to about 2 cups. Occasionally skim fat from the surface. Strain the sauce, discarding the vegetables and trimmings, and return the sauce to a gentle simmer.

MELT 2 TBSP. OF BUTTER in a small saucepan over medium heat, then add the flour. Stir or whisk constantly until the mixture is thick and slightly beige, about 6 minutes. Ladle some of the sauce into the pan and whisk to combine, then add a little more sauce. Add this flour-sauce mixture to the sauce, whisking until well incorporated. It should resemble a thin gravy. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.

WIPE OUT THE SMALL SAUCEPAN, and over medium-high heat, melt the remaining 1 Tbsp. of butter. When it bubbles, stir in the mushrooms, until wilted and brown. Add the cognac, and bring to a quick boil. (Be careful. If you tilt the pan, it may erupt in flames. That's O.K., and actually quite preferable. Just don't singe your eyebrows.) Put the mushrooms in the sauce, along with the reserved meat. Let the mixture simmer until the duck is just heated through; the heat of the liquid will bring it to medium-rare. Stir in the parsley. Serve with the toasted bread, either on top, like chipped beef, or with the bread on the side for scooping and dipping. Serves 4 to 6.

INGREDIENTS:

2 large ducks (mallard, pintail, gadwall) or 4 small ones (shoveler, wigeon, teal)

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 onions, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 Tbsp. dried thyme

2 whole cloves

2 cups chicken stock or broth

1 cup dry red wine

3 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

4 oz. white mushrooms, sliced

1/3 cup cognac, sherry, or Madeira

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Buttered, toasted slices of baguette or other crusty bread, for serving

Salt and pepper