Elk Chili
Serves 6
By Cheri Eby--Author of Cooking on Location

2 - pounds round steak cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 - pound cubed pork shoulder
1 - large onion, peeled and chopped
6 - cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 - 14.5 ounce cans beef broth
4 - cups water
1 - 28 ounce can tomatoes
2 - Pablano peppers
1 - green bell pepper
1 - jalapeno pepper
1 - yellow bell pepper
1 - tablespoon chili powder
1/2 - teaspoon cumin
cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

In a large Dutch oven or heavy kettle heat about 3 tablespoons of oil and brown the meat. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Add in the onion, garlic, beef broth, water, and tomatoes breaking them apart. Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes to an hour. Cut all the peppers in half and remove their seeds. Mince the jalapeno pepper and chop the others and add to the chili. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and sprinkle in cayenne. Simmer for about an hour. Taste and adjust spices. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Rascally Rabbits
By Cheir Eby -- Author of Cooking on Location

Never had the pleasure of dining on rabbit? Now is your chance. They're great when baked, roasted or pan fried and served with cream gravy. Rabbit can be substituted for chicken in recipes such as fricassee, coq au vin and a la king. If a recipe calls for the animal to be dismembered, fear not--it's just like cutting up a chicken. One warning: Wild rabbits can have Tularemia spores on them, and they can be transmitted to humans. Always wear rubber or other non-porous gloves while handling the rabbit prior to cooking. The heat during cooking will kill the spores.

Rabbit In Mushroom Cream Gravy Serves 4-5

2 rabbits, dismembered flour 6 tbls. butter 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thin 1 1/2 c. chicken broth 1/2 c. white wine 1 tsp. dried tarragon 1/2 pound small white mushrooms, washed salt and pepper to taste 1 tbls. Marsala wine (optional) 1 1/2 c. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter in a heavy, oven-proof casserole dish. Dredge the rabbit pieces in flour and then add to the melted butter. Brown the pieces on both sides. Add the garlic, chicken broth, wine, tarragon and mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the casserole and place in the oven. Cook for about 45 minutes. Check every once in a while to see if you need to add more chicken broth. Remove the casserole from the oven and place on burner top over medium-high heat. Stir in the Marsala, then slowly stir in the cream. Continue to cook until hot, but do not bring to a boil. Serve with mashed potatoes and asparagus or other green vegetable.

Soup's On
Game-meat-Soup The ideal winter treat
By Cheri Eby--Author of Cooking on Location

The aroma of a freshly made soup on a crisp fall day satisfies the senses like few other foods, and few meats are so perfect for soup as is venison. Whether you're serving a light bouillon as a beginning dish or a robust, thick chowder as the main course, here are some tips to keep in mind when preparing your next delicious soup: Sauté vegetables in butter or oil before adding them to soup; this helps to seal in their flavor and keep them firm. The addition of wine to your stock will greatly enhance the flavor. Most soups improve with age, so you may want to prepare your soup a day ahead of time and refrigerate it. Top the soup with freshly snipped herbs, grated cheese or croutons

Hearty Elk Barley Soup Serves 6

• 1 lb. top round or sirloin elk steak
• 3 tbls. olive oil, divided
• 1 medium white onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 celery stock, chopped very fine
• 1 carrot stick, peeled and shredded
• 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
• 1 c. hot water
• 1/2 tbls. Better Than Bouillon (or one bouillon cube)
• 3 c. beef broth
• 1 c. full-bodied red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1/2 c. barley
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh snipped parsley for garnish (optional)
• croutons for garnish (optional)
•  

  Cut the steak into bite-size pieces. Heat half of the oil in a heavy stockpot or Dutch oven. Brown the meat in batches, then remove it from the heat. Add the rest of the oil and sauté the onions, garlic, celery and carrots for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Mix the bouillon with the hot water and add it to the soup. Add the beef broth, red wine, bay leaf and rosemary. Bring to a boil and stir well. Lower the heat and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. Add the barley and continue to cook another 30 to 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve in soup bowls topped with snipped parsley and croutons.

Cheri Eby

Where have all the chicken fried steaks drenched in rich, creamy gravy gone? For that matter, what about the pot pies and the pot roasts, the patty melts and the meatloafs? Replaced by spongy rice curds molded into lame facsimiles of our old favorites, that's where. Every place tofu turns up on the menu, you can bet a hearty meal from the past is thumbing a ride for a joint where grease on the window sill is a welcome sign.

One of my all-time old-school favorites is Salisbury steak, a beef patty that is broiled or fried with onions and served with gravy and mashed potatoes. My mother used to make this once every few weeks when I was growing up. Fortunately, ground meat from most hoofed game animals works well in this dish, making it a versatile and easy home meal.

For this recipe I've used a wine sauce, which adds a thick, savory flavor.

Serves 4

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground game meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. bread crumbs
• 3 tbls. butter
• 1 tbls. olive oil
• 1 onion peeled and sliced into quarter-inch rings
• 1 green pepper, seeded and cut into quarter-inch strips
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 tsp. flour
• 1/4 c. dry red wine
• 1 can beef broth
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  
  Combine the ground meat, eggs and bread crumbs and mix well. Shape into four oblong patties. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan and brown both sides of the patties. Remove the patties to a plate and cover to keep warm. If needed, add a little more oil to the pan before dropping in the onion and green peppers. Sauté the vegetables until they are close to being done then sprinkle in the salt, pepper and thyme, mixing well. Sprinkle in the flour making sure all the vegetables are coated. Slowly add in the beef broth, then the wine, stirring all the time. Lower the heat and stir in the Worcestershire.

  Return the burgers to the pan, cover and simmer in the sauce for about 20 minutes. Serve with green beans and potato pancakes or mashed potatoes. A salad with sliced tomatoes, olives and mozzarella cheese dressed with balsamic vinegar goes very well with this meal.

  CAMPFIRE CONVERSATION

• Dr. James H. Salisbury, a 19th century nutritionist, concocted the Salisbury steak to further his belief that vegetables and starchy foods were bad for you. For optimal health, he recommended that people eat his steaks three times a day and drink lots of hot water.
• During World War II, when patriotic Americans objected to the German term "hamburger," savvy restaurant owners changed their burgers into Salisbury steaks, if in name only. --CE

Copyright © 2005 Christian Outdoorsmen of Humboldt County