Jumbo Pheasant Gumbo
I've made this meal many times. It takes about 4 hours to complete. Chopping the vegetables and slicing the meat takes the most preparation time. Jumbo Gumbo is always a hit.
I've displayed the original recipe but also included my alterations to really spark it up for more hungry eaters. I also use dove, chukar, quail, and sage grouse when it's available. For my version, you'll need a 5 gallon stock pot.
Based on a recipe from The Cajun Gourmet Afloat and On the Road by Carlo DiNapoli.
5 Gallon Stock Pot
Breast and Thigh meat from 18 Pheasants
4 pounds of Smoked Cajun Andouille Sausage
2 Red Bell Peppers
2 Green Bell Pepper
2 Orange Bell Peppers
2 Yellow Bell Peppers
2 Large Onions
½ Bunch of Celery
4 Cups of Flour
4 Cups of Olive Oil
1 Stick of Butter
64 ounces of Chicken Broth
2 Bay Leaves
2 Dark Beers
8 Cups of Wild Rice
Gumbo Filé Powder
Seasoning Mix
1 Tablespoon of Cumin
1 Tablespoon of Hot Dry Mustard
1 Tablespoon of Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon of Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon of Ground Red Pepper
2 Tablespoons of Garlic Powder
2 Tablespoons of Onion Powder
4 Tablespoons of Paprika (Hot Hungarian, if you really want to fire it up)
Chop the vegetables. Slice the Smoked Andouille Sausage into disks or chunks. Cut the pheasant meat into large chunks. Put 4 cups of flour into a large paper bag. Add 4 tablespoons of the Seasoning Mix. Shake it up. Put the pheasant chunks in the bag. Shake it up. Heat 4 cups of Olive Oil in the pot until it’s smokin’ hot. Fry the seasoned Pheasant chunks until golden brown. Remove the chunks from the hot oil. When you finish frying all the pheasant chunks, add a stick of butter to the pot, whip it up, and add the rest of the flour and the rest of the seasoning into the pot. Stir until dark brownish red…Sacré Bleu…You’ve got roux.
Reduce the heat to Medium. Stir the vegetables into the roux. Pour 64 ounces of Chicken Broth into the mixture. Add Bay Leaves, 2 Dark Beers, and sliced Andouille Sausage. Add 8 cups of half-cooked Wild Rice. Add Pheasant chunks last. Let simmer and stir until the Pheasant is falling apart. Sprinkle some Gumbo Filé on the top of each serving.
Serves 30
Cast Iron Sirloin Cap Steak
Let steaks get to room temperature.
Thoroughly dry the steaks.
Add kosher salt and pepper.
Preheat the skillet for 5 minutes on a hot grill. Rotate occasionally to heat evenly.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet.
Once oil is smoking hot, place the steaks in the skillet.
Do not crowd the steaks. Press down on the steaks for even heating.
These steaks are thick, so cook for about 4 minutes uninterrupted.
Turn steaks over.
Put butter, garlic, and rosemary in skillet.
Carefully tilt the skillet and baste with all the goodness for a couple of minutes.
For medium rare, remove the steaks when the internal temperature is 130 degrees.
Rest the steaks for 5 minutes.
Grilled Chipotle-Honey Flank Steak
A great recipe plagiarized from Chris Schlesinger.
For the marinade
6 pounds of flank steak
4 canned chipotles
5 garlic cloves
Handful of fresh cilantro
8 tablespoons of olive oil
20 tablespoons of lime juice (about 10 limes)
For the sauce
½ cup honey
4 tablespoons of peanut oil
6 to 10 canned chipotles
4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons of brown mustard
16 tablespoons of lime juice (about 8 limes)
4 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
Handful of fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons of salt
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Throw all the marinade ingredients in a blender or food processor. Grind them up.
Marinade the flank steaks for 4-6 hours. Do not marinade much longer because the acid in the lime juice will turn the meat gray.
Throw all the Sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor. Grind them up. Serve the sauce at room temperature.
Grill the flank steak over a very hot fire for 4-6 minutes per side for medium rare. Let the meat rest for several minutes.
Make sure you slice the meat thinly at an angle across the grain. Serve with warm tortillas and the excellent sauce.
Chris’ Pheasant Cordon Bleu
Pound pheasant breasts to about ¼ “ thick.
Layer on slices of gruyere swiss cheese about 1/8” to ¼” thick.
Layer on prosciutto ham.
Roll up and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roll in (almond) flour and shake off excess.
Dip in egg batter and roll in (pork panko) crumbs, set aside until ready for cooking.
Brown in (duck fat) and place in baking dish.
Cook in 400 degree oven until cheese starts to melt. About 15 minutes.
Make sauce by adding heavy cream to the residual grease left in the browning pan.
At serving time add Cognac to the hot sauce and ignite.
Pour sauce over the individual breast rolls.
Seared Scallops
Thoroughly dry scallops between 2 bar towels.
Season with salt and pepper.
Put 2 tablespoons of oil in cast iron skillet.
Heat until oil is almost smoking.
Gently place scallops in the skillet.
Cook for 2 minutes.
Add butter and garlic.
Flip scallops and baste.
Cook for another minute.
Remove.
Drizzle with Sriracha/Sesame oil.
Eva WHite's Cheese Biscuits
2 Sticks of butter
2 cups of grated sharp Cheddar cheese
2 cups of flour
1/4 teaspoon of hot sauce. I prefer much more. How about 1 tablespoon.
Pinch (ha!) of garlic salt.
2 cups of Rice Krispies
Soften butter and cheese in a large bowl. Stir in flour and seasonings. Mix well. Add Rice Krispies. Shape into balls about the size of nickels. Flatten with the back of fork tines to make a criss-cross imprint. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 14 to 17 minutes or until lightly golden.
Grilled Chicken
Another one from Chris Schlesinger.
- Grill up a load of chicken thighs and legs
- Mix 6 tablespoons of Olive Oil and 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- Add Rosemary
- Add chopped Basil
- Add Kalmata Olives
- Add Capers
- Add cracked Black Pepper
- Add minced garlic
- Squeeze some Lemon juice into the mix
- Stir it up
- Dump it over the chicken
- Garnish with Basil leaves, Rosemary, and Lemon wedges.
Venison Fajitas
For the crock pot
- 4 lbs boneless venison roast
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 can chipotle peppers, in adobo sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbs apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbs soy sauce
- 2 tsp hot sauce
- 2 tbs butter, melted
- 1 tbs ground mustard
- 2 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Meat Instructions
Layer sliced onions on the bottom of the slow cooker.
Place roast on top of the onion.
In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients, then pour over the roast. If it looks like there's not enough liquid, add up to a cup of broth, stock, or your favorite beer. The meat should be almost covered in liquid.
Cover and cook on low until meat is cooked through and tender, about 8 to 10 hours. About 30 minutes before serving, shred the meat using two forks.
If you want the liquid to thicken up, cook it these last 30 minutes with the lid askew to let the liquid evaporate.
Grilled Onions and Peppers
Slice up 2 or 3 onions and 2 or 3 peppers.
Lube up with oil.
Generously shake Tajin seasoning onto the vegetables.
Get your hands in there and mix it up really well.
Grill it.
Throw it all together
From "Big Flavors of the Hot Sun"
Grilled Swordfish Steaks with green grape relish
Swordfish Steaks 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
Rub with vegetable oil
Salt and Pepper
Grill over medium fire (hand 5 inches above cooking surface, 3 to 4 seconds)
4 to 5 minutes per side
Smoked Braised Lamb Shank
From www.meatchurch.com
Trim lamb shank.
Lightly season with your favorite rub.
Smoke at 275 for about 2 hours until internal temperature of 165.
Place smoked lamb shanks in a dutch oven.
Add a cup of red wine cup and a cup of beef broth.
Add some sprigs of thyme and rosemary.
Place closed dutch oven on smoker until 205 to 210 internal about 2 hours.
Serve over polenta. (I say grits).
Grilled Lobster Tails
From www.weber.com
1. Cut the shell with a pair of kitchen shears, but go no further than the tail.
2. With a knife, split the meat along the same path as the shell cut line, being careful not to slice all the way through the lobster.
3. The remaining soft membrane will keep the sections intact while exposing the meat. Open the lobster tail like a book.
4. Lobster is grilled over direct medium heat. Rub the flesh with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
5. Grill flesh side down for approximately 5-7 minutes, then flip. Figure another 4-5 minutes after you flip the tail.
6. Baste the lobster with an herb butter mixture.
7. The lobster is done when its internal temperature, reaches 135°F.
Creme de la Pheasant
Boneless pheasant breasts
Olive oil & Pork Fat
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Minced Garlic
Shredded Smoked Gouda Cheese
Cooked bacon chunks
Whole Cream
1. Lightly coat one side of pheasant breasts with Montreal Steak Seasoning.
2. Grill pheasant breasts for 30 seconds each side over hot grill.
3. Cut pheasant breasts in half.
4. Heat the pork fat, olive oil, and minced garlic in a skillet.
5. Add pheasant breast halves to the skillet.
6. Add cream, smoked gouda, and the cooked bacon.
7. Once the cheese is completely melted, it's done.
8. Serve with more bacon and chopped green onions.
Roasted cauliflower
Lifted from: https://www.177milkstreet.com
Ingredients
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 pound head cauliflower, trimmed
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (½ cup)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Lemon wedges, to serve
How to
Put oven rack in the middle position.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
You need 2 small mixing bowls and a bowl to serve the sauce.
Whisk together the oil, 2 1/2 tablespoons of mustard, garlic, vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Put a 1/4 cup of this mixture into the serving sauce bowl for use at the dinner table.
Put the cauliflower on the baking sheet (you lined it with foil, right?). Brush the surface of the cauliflower with the mixture (not from the fancy serving bowl). While this is roasting, mix feta with the chopped parsley.
Roast for about 45-55 minutes. Once a skewer can easily stab through the head into the core, it's time to remove it from the oven. Brush the hot cauliflower head with 1 1/2 tablespoons of mustard then mash on the feta-parsley mixture. Put it back in the oven for about 5-8 minutes. The feta should be melting.
Transfer to a cutting board and cut the head into 4 pieces.
Serve with lemon wedges and the sauce.