Sometimes big flavor comes in small bites! This quick hors d’oeuvre can be whipped up in minutes, with just a few ingredients from your fridge. Ingredients: 1 – 12 ounce Wild Idea Buffalo Summer Sausage 24 – rectangular *Italian Style crackers,*They are super thin, extra crispy, and not too salty! 12 – ounces Irish cheddar cheese ¼ – cup mayonnaise 1 – tablespoon horseradish ¼ – lemon, juiced 1 – tablespoon caper juice salt & pepper capers Preparation: 1) Slice the Wild Idea Summer Sausage into 12 circles, and then slice the circles into halves. 2) Slice the cheese into 24 rectangular slices. 3) In a small mixing bowl, mix the mayonnaise, horseradish, lemon and caper juice together. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 4) Stack the cheese and meat onto the crackers. Garnish with the sauce and capers, and arrange on a platter or board. Serve with cold beer!
Bison Fajitas
Bison Fajitas (serves 4 to 6) No need to go out for this Mexican favorite, just follow one of the easy to use preparations below, with Wild Idea’s Pre-Marinated Bison Fajita Strips and you will have a healthy, delicious dinner in a jiffy! You’ll love the convenience and all will love the taste! Ole! Seared Buffalo Fajitas Ingredients: 1 – pound “Ready to Cook” Wild Idea Buffalo Fajita Strips 2 – tablespoons olive oil 2 – bell peppers, seeded and sliced thin 1 – large onion, peeled and sliced thin ½ – teaspoon salt ½ – teaspoon black pepper Accompaniment Ingredients: (as desired) 1 to 2 – tortillas per person, based on size, warmed Avocado, sliced, or guacamole Pico de Gallo or Salsa Sour Cream Shredded Cheese Preparation: 1) In heavy, large skillet, over medium high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the bison fajita strips evenly to pan. Allow them to sear for a minute before tossing or turning. Sauté for about 4 minutes. 2) Remove from pan and cover with foil. 3) Add remaining oil to the pan and add peppers, onions, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté, tossing occasionally until tender, but still vibrant in color. 4) Slid vegetables to one side of the pan and return the bison fajita strips. Reheat for one minute, tossing occasionally. 5) Serve hot out of the skillet with accompaniments. Stewed Buffalo Fajitas Ingredients: 1 – pound “Ready to Cook” Wild Idea Buffalo Fajita Strips 1 – tablespoons olive oil 1 – 14 ounce can Mexican style, stewed tomatoes 2 – bell peppers, seeded and sliced thin 1 – large onion, peeled and sliced thin ½ – teaspoon salt ½ – teaspoon black pepper Preparation: 1) In a crockpot on high heat, heat the oil. Add the bison fajita strips to the crockpot and allow too brown slightly. 2) Add stewed tomatoes to the crockpot and cover, bringing to full heat. Reduce heat to medium low and allow bison fajita strips to stew for about 45 minutes. 3) Add peppers, onions to the crockpot and stir into the stewed bison fajitas. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and stew until vegetables are tender, but still vibrant in color. 4) Serve hot out of the crockpot with accompaniments.
Breakfast Sausage & Egg Buttermilk Biscuit Sandwiches
My mothers buttermilk biscuits, made with fresh, homemade buttermilk, were a family favorite. What makes them even better is Wild Idea’s Buffalo Breakfast Sausage, a farm fresh egg, and cheddar cheese! You will have not only a tasty sandwich, but the energy to start your day. These are great for kids of all ages, and for when you are on the go! Ingredients: 1 – pound Wild Idea Breakfast Sausage 1 – tablespoon oil 4 – ounces cheese, slice 4 – farm fresh or organic eggs 4 – buttermilk biscuits salt & pepper butter Preparation: 1) Portion out Wild Idea Buffalo Breakfast Sausage into four patties. 2) Brush sauté pan with a little oil, over medium heat, and place patties into heated pan. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side. During the last two minutes of cooking, add the cheese slices and cover the pan to melt cheese. 3) While sausage is cooking, heat remaining oil in sauté pan, over medium heat and add your eggs. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook until the yolk is medium, about 4 minutes. This will make for a soft, but not runny or hard yolk. 4) To assemble, butter the warm biscuits with butter, top with cheesy sausage patty and egg. Buttermilk Biscuits (makes about 12 biscuits, but is determined by size of biscuit cutter) Terrific warm with butter & jam! Ingredients: 2 – cups unbleached flour 1 – tablespoon sugar 4 – teaspoons baking powder ½ – teaspoon salt ½ – cup butter, chilled, sliced 1 – dollop real mayonnaise ½ – cup buttermilk Preparation: 1) In mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. 2) Cut in the butter, until mixture is course crumbles. 3) Add the mayonnaise and the buttermilk and mix until just incorporated. 4) Place dough on lightly floured surface and knead, about 20 times. 5) Roll out to 1” thick and cut with biscuit cutter, pressing down, but not twisting. 6) Bake at 450°, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Bresaola, Manchego & Pear Salad
Bresaola, Manchego, & Pear Salad Our in-house artisan charcuterie expert, Valerie Flanagan has nailed our newest product item, “Bison Bresaola”! Although it is delicious by itself, I paired it with Manchego cheese, pear, and balsamic syrup, for a dynamo combination. You are going to love this product and the salad! Enjoy. Ingredients: (per serving) 2 – ounces Wild Idea Bison Bresaola 2 – ounces Manchego cheese, shaved 1 – quartered pear, sliced 2 – handfuls of baby arugula ¼ – cup roasted pecans 2 – teaspoons olive oil squeeze of fresh lemon Balsamic syrup cracked black pepper Preparation: 1) Place arugula in bowl and drizzle with olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Toss together to coat evenly. 2) Place greens on plate and arrange Bison Bresaola, Manchego, and pear on top of salad. 3) Sprinkle with roasted pecans, drizzle with desired amount of balsamic syrup, and finish with a twist of black pepper.
BUFFALO IRISH CODDLE
Buffalo Irish Coddle (serves 8) This traditional Irish dish was often made from leftovers, using whatever vegetables were available. Feel free to change to you liking or availability. The light broth allows the flavors of each ingredient to come through, and although hearty, is also light. And, it’s so good! Enjoy. Ingredients: 1 – 8 ounce package Wild Idea Buffalo Bacon 1 – 1 pound package Wild Idea Buffalo Brats 2 – tablespoons olive oil 3 – organic onions, sliced ¼” thick and quartered 2 – quarts organic chicken broth 1½ – pound organic baby golden potatoes, sliced 4 – cups organic carrots, peeled and sliced 1 – turnip, peeled and cubed 1 – cup parsley, chopped 2 – teaspoons black pepper 1 – teaspoon salt 2 – teaspoons dried thyme *Optional – ¼ teaspoon cayenne Preparation: 1) In heavy stockpot over medium high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil, and add half of the bacon. Cook, turning once until slightly crispy. Place cooked bacon on a paper bag or paper towel. Repeat with remaining bacon. 2) Add the brats to the pan, and allow to brown, turning occasionally. 3) Remove brats, and place on a paper bag or paper towel. 4) Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil, heat and add onions. Cook for about ten minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. 5) While onions are cooking, chop cooked buffalo bacon and cut brats into ½” slices. 6) Add most of the bacon bake to the pot, reserving a little to sprinkle on top, for garnish. Stir to incorporate. 7) Add stock to the pot and bring to a full boil. Add vegetables, half of the parsley and seasonings, and bring to a full boil again. 8) Reduce heat to low, add the sliced buffalo brats, and simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 9) Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. 10) To serve, ladle desired portions into bowls, covering each with broth, and garnish with remaining parsley and remaining bacon bits.
Through The Eyes Of A Child
People often ask me how I like being a grandma? This often feels like a trick question because of course I like being a grandma. I fear my short answers are inadequate or disappointing. Not only do I like being a grandma, but I feel so fortunate to be under the spell of grandson Lincoln’s keen awareness. Through the eyes and wonderment of this perfect little creature I am learning so much. I am learning to be more in tune with the needs of others before they have to ask, to see the magic in the roll of ones hands or movement of fingers, how smiles appear on faces – when greeted with delight, and that those smiles are contagious, and spread a lot of joy. To keep the balance in lessons learned, this holiday season we will try to give grandson Lincoln a lesson in return. We will dig out the 3-foot tall tree that we purchased the last time we had small children for Christmas (which we loved), along with the box of treasured heirloom ornaments. We will decorate the tree simply and it will stand guard over the one present that will be under it for him. The other gifts we have to offer will not be wrapped, but offered in greeting with delight in our voice, offered with our hands, by the things we make and hold, enjoyed with our fingers, by the treats we pop into our mouths. We will share in our bounty joyfully with those that have less, before they have to ask. We will gather over the weeks with family and friends. We will enjoy the simple pleasure of being with one another. We will laugh, we will cook, we will love, and we will keep learning through the eyes of a little boy named Lincoln. This month’s recipe will be enjoyed as our holiday feast. It will be an all hands on deck dinner, enjoying the art of making something special with each other. Lincoln will observe with his usual curiosity and cheer us on with his perpetual, infectious smile. Wishing you all a wonderful, magical holiday season – however you celebrate. Cheers! jill Panco Crusted Buffalo Ribeye Chops with Buerre Rouge (serves 4) Special occasions deserve special recipes. Preparation can be done in advance, which helps when entertaining, or make together with close friends or family. Ingredients for 2 Chops: 2 – 1 lb. Wild Idea Buffalo Bone-In Ribeye steaks 4 – tablespoons olive oil 1 – teaspoon salt 1½ – teaspoon black pepper 14 – tablespoons butter ¼ – cup shallots, minced 1 – teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced 2 – cups red wine, a dark heavy red is best 1 – teaspoon lemon juice 3.5 – ounces chèvre cheese, room temperature * I used a chèvre with herbs & garlic. 1 – tablespoon Dijon 1 – cup panco crumbs Preparation: 1) Remove steaks from packaging and remove bone guard. Rinse steaks under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. 2) On a shallow pan, mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. 3) Roll steaks in seasoned oil and rub into meat. 4) Turn exhaust fan on high and heat a large sauté pan over high heat (the hottest burner you have on high heat). Add seasoned ribeye steaks to the pan and sear for 1 and a half minutes on each side. 5) Remove pan from heat, and remove steaks from the pan and transfer to a platter. Place steaks in the refrigerator and allow steaks …
Prairie Oysters "Buffalo Bull Fries with Herbed Lemon Aioli
Prairie Oysters /Buffalo Bull Fries with Herbed Lemon Aioli You may not believe me, but if I had to describe the flavor of this recipe with only one word, other than delicious, I would have to say elegant. That’s right, elegant. Although I have had a Rocky Mountain Oyster or two in my life at neighbor’s brandings, I confess to not ever having made them until a few months ago. It took me a couple of tries to get it just right, but trust me on this they are delicious and were devoured in minutes. Inspired by a few tips from the great meat guru, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, plus a few of my own tricks. A great addition and conversation edible to any party or game gathering! Ingredients: 2 – packages Wild Idea Buffalo Bull Fries Water ¾ – cup extra virgin olive oil ¾ – cup rice vinegar ½ – teaspoon chili flake ½ – teaspoon black pepper ¾ – teaspoon salt 8 – sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only 8 – sprigs fresh parsley 1 – lemon, juiced 1 – green onion 2/3 – cup flour ½ – tablespoon onion powder 1 – tablespoon garlic powder ½ – teaspoon cayenne 3 – cups grape-seed or sunflower oil fresh lemon Preparation: 1) In a medium sized pot, over high heat, bring 2 quarts water to a rolling boil. Remove Wild Idea Bull Fries from package and drop into boiling water, boil for two minutes. 2) Drain the bull fries in a colander and rinse under cold water, until room temperature. 3) While the bull fries are cooling, in a blender mix the olive oil, vinegar, chili flake, black pepper, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, fresh thyme leaves and parsley together in a blender. Blend marinade until it is well incorporated. Divide marinade equally, placing half of the marinade in a bowl and leaving the remaining half in the blender. 4) Peel the outside skin off of the bull fries. You may need to make a small slit with a knife to get started, but after the skin should peel away like a banana. 5) Place peeled bull fries on a cutting board and remove any of the tougher tissue from the soft tissue. *This will be obvious, as the tougher tissue is also a little bit darker. 6) Place the peeled and cleaned up bull fries into the marinade in the bowl. Bull fries should be immersed in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. 7) Add the juice of the fresh lemon and the green onion to the remaining marinade in the blender and blend until well incorporated. The marinade will be beautifully green in color and very fragrant. Transfer the second marinade into a bowl. 8) Remove the bull fries from the first marinade and place them on cutting board. Cut the bull fries into pop in your mouth, bite size pieces. Place cut bull fries into the second marinade, cover closely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours. 9) Remove marinating bull fries from the refrigerator and drain into a colander. Shake off the excess marinade and lightly blot with a paper towel. 10) In a shallow bowl, mix the flour with the onion & garlic powder, remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and cayenne. 11) In a deep medium sized pan, over medium high heat, heat the oil. 12) Place the bull fries into the flour and toss to coat evenly. *You may want to do this in two batches. Place one flour dredged …
Bison Carpaccio
Bison Carpaccio *pronunciation: car-paht-cho Wild Idea Buffalo premium, 100% grass-fed bison steaks turns this very simple to make, tasty appetizer into a fabulous showstopper! My preparation may make a few chefs gasp, as I sear the meat while still partially frozen, but it works perfectly, especially for preparing ahead when entertaining. Ingredients: 2 – 10oz. Wild Idea Buffalo New York Strip Steaks ¼ – cup olive oil 1 – teaspoon salt 1 – teaspoon black pepper 2 – green onions, sliced 2 – tablespoons capers 2 – lemon wedges sea salt and fresh cracked pepper Preparation: 1) Remove partially thawed steaks (firm inside, softer outside) from their packaging, rinse under cold water, pat dry and trim all visible fat away from steaks. 2) On a plate rub steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Allow steaks to rest for 15 minutes. 3) Turn exhaust fan on high and heat a heavy skillet, over high heat, the hottest heat you have. Place oiled steaks in hot pan and sear for 30 second on each side. 4) Remove steaks from the pan and place on a cutting board. Allow steaks to cool before slicing. Slice steaks into thin slices. 5) To plate, circle sliced onions an inch or two inside the plates parameter and arrange sliced steaks over the onions. Cover with plastic wrap until you are ready to serve. Right before serving, squeeze with lemon wedges and sprinkle with sea salt, a crack of black pepper and capers. Serve with thin crinkle cut potato chips or the thinnest potato chips available. They make for a great vehicle to ones mouth.
Wild Idea Stuffed Bison Roast with Red Wine Gravy
I tested this recipe out on visiting guests, and it was a big success! Preping the roast will take a little effort, but a sharp filet knife will make it very manageable. The end result will be a very tender, medium roast, with a delicious, savory sausage stuffing and red wine gravy! Roast & Gravy Ingredients: 1 – 3 lb. Wild Idea Sirloin Tip or Top Round Roast 1 – tablespoon olive oil ½ – tablespoon black pepper ½ – tablespoon salt 1 – onion, coarse chopped and flash processed ½ recipe Savory Buffalo Sausage Stuffing (Use other half for your organic Turkey or chicken or just heat by itself.) 2 – sticks butter ¼ – cup flour 1 – quart buffalo, organic beef stock 2 – cups wine 1 – tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced ½ – tablespoon thyme ½ – tablespoon sage Instructions: *Preheat oven to 185° 1) Rinse roast and pat dry. Remove any exterior fat. Using a filet knife butterfly roast, in a jelly roll fashion. You will make 3 major cuts lengthwise, starting about 1½ inches in from left, slicing down about 2 inches, flip roast slightly and slice again, repeat. You will encounter a piece of sinew that runs through the roast, slice through and contend with after flat. 2) Flatten out meat with hands. Using the tip of the filet knife remove visible sinew, but avoid cutting through, which will produce holes. Cut away any miss-shaped end pieces and reserve. There will still be a little sinew in roast, which can be cut away during serving time. 3) Cover roast with plastic wrap and using a mallet or rolling pin, pound out to about 1 inch thick. 4) Place stuffing down the center of the roast and wrap meat around until meat touches. Secure with heavy toothpicks. 5) Pour olive oil, salt and pepper in roasting pan and mix together. Roll roast in seasoned oil, until evenly coated. Add miss-shaped meat pieces to the roasting pan. 6) Place chopped onion in food processor and flash process, to create smaller pieces and release some of the onions juices. 7) Pour onions with juices over roast, and press lightly in to meat. 8) Place roast in pre-heated oven and roast for 5 hours. 9) Remove roast from oven, and from roasting pan and wrap in foil. Set aside. Increase oven temperature to 500°. 10) In a saucepan melt one stick of the butter over medium heat. Scrape onion bits and juices from the roasting pan, into the saucepan. Whisk in flour, and stir until well incorporated and lightly brown. 11) Slowly whisk in stock and wine, stirring constantly. 12) Add seasoning and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until reduce by a third. 13) Remove roast from foil and return roast to pan. Melt remaining stick of butter and pour over the onions on top of the roast. Return roast to lower shelf in oven, and turn oven to broil. Roast until onions are golden brown. 14) Remove roast from oven. Transfer roast to cutting board, for carving. Pass with Red Wine Gravy. Savory Buffalo Sausage Stuffing Ingredients: 2 – Tablespoons butter 2 – Tablespoons olive oil 1 – 1 lb. Buffalo Breakfast Sausage, Chorizo or Italian 1 – onion, diced 3 – stalks celery, sliced 2 – teaspoons dried sage 2 – teaspoons dried thyme 1 – teaspoon ground fennel 1 – teaspoon salt 1 – Tablespoon pepper 1 – 14oz. bag herbed seasoned stuffing 2½ – cups organic chicken stock Instructions: 1.) In heavy skillet over medium high heat, …
PRAIRIE HARVEST GREEN CHILI STEW
Prairie Harvest Green Chili Stew (Makes 8 hearty entree portions, as seconds will be requested.) The flavors of the prairie enhanced with roasted green chilies of the Southwest make for a great pot of stew. Roasted chilies are one of the best smells on the planet, so when available, I like to roast my own in the fall. If you have access to fresh and would like to roast your own, increase your green chili weight to about 4.5 pounds, and about 1.5 pounds for the red peppers. Roast chilies and peppers over a hot grill until blistered. Place in paper bag and allow to cool. Remove skin, scrape insides clean, and follow recipe below. Ingredients: 2 – pounds Wild Idea Buffalo stew meat 1 – pound pheasant, grouse or chicken breast, cut into cubes 2 – tablespoons butter 2 – tablespoons olive oil 1 – onion, diced 2 – tablespoons garlic, chopped 2 – tablespoons cumin 2 – tablespoons chili powder 2 – tablespoons coriander 1 – teaspoon cayenne 2 – teaspoons salt 1 – tablespoon black pepper 3 – pounds *Hatch frozen or canned, roasted & peeled green chilies, diced or flash processed 1 – 15.5 ounce jar roasted red bell peppers, diced or flash processed 2 – quarts organic chicken or vegetable stock ¼ – cup arrow root ½ – cup water 2 – 10 ounce cans Rotel diced tomatoes, with lime juice and cilantro 1/3 – cup cilantro chopped garnish options – sour cream and additional cilantro Preparation: 1) Rinse stew meat in colander and pat dry with a paper towel. 2) In heavy stew pot, over medium high heat, heat butter and oil. 3) Add buffalo, fowl, onions and seasonings, stirring occasionally until meat is browned & onions are tender. 4) Add roasted green chilies and peppers to stew pot and stir to incorporate. 5) Add stock and bring to a boil. 6) Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for half an hour or until meat is tender. 7) Uncover and continue to simmer for an additional half hour. 8) Mix arrowroot and water together. Increase heat and bring to a boil, slowly whisking in arrowroot mixture. 9) Stir in diced tomatoes and cilantro. 10) Ladle stew in bowls and garnish as desired. Serve with grilled cheese Quesadillas. *Hatch Green Chilies, are the best, so if available choose those. If using canned or frozen Hatch chilies, I use about 2.5 pounds of the mild chilies and a half-pound of the hot. This gives the stew just the right amount of spiciness for our palates, but adjust for your own taste.
Buffalo Bacon Caprese Salad
Buffalo Bacon Caprese Salad with Sweet Basil Vinaigrette (per salad) Fresh garden tomatoes and fresh mozzarella are a dynamo combination, but I miss the lettuce. And since I’ve added lettuce, why not Buffalo Bacon! *A big thanks to my friend Pam for her assistance with the food photography. Sweet Basil Vinaigrette Ingredients: 2 – cups basil leaves, packed 1 – cup rice vinegar 1/3 – cup sugar 1 – teaspoon salt 2 – teaspoons black pepper ¾ – cup olive oil Salad Ingredients: 2 – Buffalo Bacon strips 1 – tablespoon oil 1 – cup lettuce, washed dried and torn 8 – cherry tomatoes, halved (or tomato slices) 2 – ounces fresh mozzarella, torn or sliced 8 – small fresh basil leaves, whole and julienned Sweet Basil Vinaigrette Balsamic Glaze *try Gia Russo brand Preparation: 1) Place all of the vinaigrette ingredients in blender, except olive oil and blend until incorporated. With blender running slowly add the olive oil. Transfer to a jar or sealed container. 2) In a frying pan over medium high heat, heat oil. Add Buffalo Bacon and cook for two minutes each side, or to your desired crispiness. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel. 3) Toss lettuce with a tablespoon of vinaigrette and arrange on a plate. 4) Top with tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil leaves. 5) Add bacon to the plate, and pour an additional tablespoon or desired amount of the dressing over the whole salad. 6) Drizzle with Balsamic Glaze.
Italian Style Buffalo Meatballs
Italian Buffalo Meatballs (Makes 20 to 24 meatballs) Ingredients: 1 lb. Wild Idea Buffalo Italian Sausage ¼ cup basil, chopped ¼ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded 2 teaspoons butter 1 medium onion, diced 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon fennel Preparation: 1) Mix basil, sundried tomatoes, garlic and cheese together. 2) In sauce pan over medium high heat, heat oil. Add onions, sugar and fennel and sauté until slightly caramelized. Transfer to plate and allow to cool before adding to other ingredients. 3) Crumble ground buffalo meat into other ingredients. Mix thoroughly with hands. 4) Place mixture in food processor and flash pulse process, until slightly sticky. Allow meat mixture to rest 2 to 24 hours before cooking. This can be done before or after making meatballs. 5) Form into 1 oz. or desired size meatballs and place on lightly oiled baking sheet. 6) Broil meatballs in oven on middle rack, until browned, about 5 minutes. Serve warm. Great by themselves or serve with marinara on a bed of creamy risotto.
Curried Bison Meatballs
Curried Buffalo Meatballs (Makes16 to 20 meat balls) Ingredients: 1 lb. Wild Idea Ground Buffalo 1 teaspoon cardamom 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon cloves ½ teaspoon coriander ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 3 green onion, sliced *reserve dark green tops for garnish 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk 1 tablespoons yellow curry paste 1 dried hot chili, or 1 tsp crushed red pepper 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon fresh ginger Preparation: 1) Mix all dry spices together with olive oil. 2) Crumble ground buffalo meat into spice mixture. Mix thoroughly with hands. Allow meat mixture to rest 2 to 24 hours before cooking. This can be done before or after making meatballs. 3) Form into 1 oz. or desired size meatballs and place on lightly oiled baking sheet. 4) In sauce pan over medium high heat melt butter. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes. 5) Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Reheat sauce before serving. 6) Broil meatballs in oven on middle rack, until browned, about 5 minutes. Pour curry sauce over meatballs and garnish with green onions.
Real Food
Each day I awake to the sounds of the ranch; birds, dogs, an occasional horse whinny and the morning news. I drift in and out of consciousness between tweets, barks and the sound of David Greenes voice on NPR. My attention hones in to the radio voices, reporting on the horrific wars. I am relieved when the stories change to children heading back to school. Now fully alert, I’m shocked by the statistics coming from the small black box: “The average child spends 4 minutes a day outside and ten hours in front of a screen”. “This is creating disconnect with the natural world”, the voices say. They go on talking about the ramifications this will have. If intimate relationships are not cultivated with mother earth, who will we pass the baton to too care for her? Where will children think their food comes from? Water? And so on. Last Sunday we were featured on the Food Networks, “Great Food Truck Race,” a reality competitive food show. Although we were thrilled to be featured, we learned that there is not a lot of reality in reality TV. My favorite “stand out line” from one of the producers during the week that they spent on the ranch was, “This is a food show, it’s not that critical if we don’t get a good shot of the buffalo”. What’s that you say??????? I guess it’s not only our children that have a disconnect. The night of the airing of the “Great Food Truck Race”, a group of Wild Idea Buffalo employees and friends gathered to watch the show, including my friend Mason. Mason is 12 and has just started junior high. He is quiet, a bit shy and very thoughtful. Before we sat down to view the show, we went out to visit the buffalo and to offer them thanks for helping us get on national TV. We took a rawhide buffalo drum, as we have learned from our Native American friends, that if you beat the drum and have an open heart, the buffalo will come to you. I explained this to Mason as he started our heartfelt concert. Within minutes, we were circled by 300 buffalo. They stood around us as if they were thoroughly enjoying themselves, offering their soft grunts for applause. As we headed back for our buffalo feast before the show, we stopped along the way for grass tutorials from Jilian and Colton. We watched prairie dogs and burrowing owls. We rolled in the soft sand of a Buffalo wallow and talked about what happens when the wallows fill with rain. Tight on time and Mason now behind the wheel, we drove a little fast, back to the ranch. Smells of braising buffalo meat greeted us from the kitchen. We filled our plates with cucumber, melon salad, and buffalo stewed in garden tomatoes and green beans, from Jilian’s garden. We ate on the deck and watched the golden light fall on the hillside. At last it was show time. We headed inside and turned on the TV, putting our faces in front of a screen to watch an unreal, reality food show. This month’s recipe is Buffalo Chuck Roast Stewed in Tomatoes with Green Beans. Dan loves this cut and also this recipe, as when necessary he can get dinner on the table! A real treat in more ways then one! Enjoy! Jill Buffalo Chuck Roast Stewed with Garden Tomatoes and Green Beans (serves 6 to 8) A great family dinner that says goodbye to summer and hello to fall! Recipe by Jill, but prepared by Dan with …
Updates from the Office
A year ago due to staffing changes, I found myself back in the trenches of Wild Idea Buffalo Company. And what a year it has been! We have: increased our production to keep up with demand, established and launched delicious smoked products that are ALL nitrite free, and have started to create a heat and eat entrée line from the Wild Idea Buffalo Kitchen to make eating healthily easier for folks that already have too much on their plate. All the above validates that more consumers care about where their food comes from, and that sustainable food is moving forward, one bite at a time! It also means that we were able to put a few more people to work! Our new additions to the Wild Idea Buffalo team bring new talents to the table assisting us in continuing to offer you the best red meat on the planet. I would like to take the opportunity to introduce the whole plant crew to you. Back left: Kevin Marshall, Cliff Allen, Cyril White Eagle, Roberto Rodriquez, Chris White Eagle, Shane Brown. Front left: Valerie Flanagan, Mia Fast Horse, Nancy Kungel and Zech Brown. With such a talented crew, I have started to transition back to some of the projects that I had put on hold, with the main one being “the cookbook”. I’m looking forward to being back in the kitchen testing new recipes and refining old ones, and then making the cut of what stays and what goes. I will be relying on many of you to assist with that process, by being recipe testers. This month’s recipe will definitely make the cookbook. It takes a little more effort then a quick burger on the grill, but I think you will find the results worth it! Wishing you all a delicious summer. Jill Southwest Burger *The winner and favorite in our buffalo burger cook off! (makes 3 to 4 burgers or 8 to 10 sliders) Ingredients: 1 1 lb. Wild Idea Ground Buffalo 1 Tb. olive oil + 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 cup pepper jack cheese, small cubes ½ cup (2) green chili’s, roasted, peeled coarse chopped Pico de Gallo Jalapeno Hollandaise Buns of choice Preparation: 1.) Mix meat, olive oil, spices, cheese and chili’s together in bowl with hands and portion into desired patty size. 2.) Refrigerate for ½ hour to assist with binding. 3.) Preheat clean grill to 500*+. 4.) Brush burgers with a little extra olive oil and place burgers on hot grill, grilling 2 minutes each side. Keep grill lid closed. 5.) Brush with olive oil and grill ½ minute each side to give burger a bit of a crust. Serve on buns and top with Pico de Gallo and Jalapeno Hollandaise! Accompany with *Tequila, Lime Buffalo Chips. *Recipe included with purchase. Pico de Gallo (makes 2 cups) Ingredients: 1¼ cup finely diced cherry tomatoes ½ cup finely diced onion, white, red or green ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro 1 Tb. sugar ¼ tsp. cardamom ½ tsp. each: coriander, cumin, salt & pepper Juice of 1 – Lime *optional: pinch of cayenne Toss all ingredients together. Season to taste. Jalapeno infused Hollandaise Ingredients: 2 organic eggs, yolks only ½ teaspoon coarse mustard ½ teaspoon garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons lemon juice ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 Jalapeno, roasted, peeled and seeded 1 stick salted organic butter, melted 1.) Place all ingredients in blender and puree. 2.) With blender going, slowly add melted butter. Blend until mixture becomes thick. Place leftover hollandaise in container and store …
Grilled Buffalo Meatball Salad with Mint Vinaigrette
June’s Recipe of the Month: Grilled Buffalo Meatball Salad with Mint Vinaigrette (Inspired by Food & Wine recipe). Serves 4 Grills across the country will be fired up for this Fathers Day, covered with burgers, steaks and Ribs (check out our Rib specials this month– recipes included). All delicious, but if you are in the mood for something on the lighter side, this recipe is for you. Enjoy. Meatball Ingredients: 1 – 1 lb. Ground Buffalo 2 – cloves garlic, minced 2 – green onions, minced 1 – tablespoon soy sauce 2 – tablespoons hoisin sauce 1 – teaspoon salt 2 – teaspoons black pepper 2 – tablespoons olive oil 24 -cherries, pitted 8 – mushrooms, halved 8 wooden skewers, soaked in water foil Vinaigrette Ingredients: ½ – cup rice vinegar ¼ – cup honey ¼ – cup sesame oil 1 – tablespoon pickled ginger ¼ cup fresh mint leaves ½ – teaspoon salt 1 – teaspoon black pepper Salad Ingredients: 4 – handfuls mixed greens 1 – cup prepared quinoa ½ – cucumber, diced *optional garnish: cherries, sesame seeds or Marcona Almond Instructions: 1.) In mixing bowl combine: ground buffalo, minced garlic, minced onion, soy, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly with hands. 2.) Shape into 16 oval meatballs, and roll in olive oil. Refrigerate for ½ hour. 3.) Mix all Vinaigrette ingredients in blender a pulse until mixed. 4.) Thread skewer: cherry, mushroom, meatball, cherry, meatball, mushroom, cherry. Repeat with remaining skewers. 5.) Wrap exposed wooden tips with foil. 6.) Place skewers over medium high grill, about 400* and grill for 3 minutes each side. 7.) Remove skewers from grill and cover with foil, allowing to rest for 5 minutes. 8.) Toss salad greens with ¼ cup of the vinaigrette, arrange on 4 separate plates. 9.) Mix cucmber and jalapeno together in bowl and toss with ¼ cup viniagerette. 10.) Divide prepared quinoaand sprinkle on top of greens. Repeat with diced cucumbers. Top Salad with two skewers and drizzle with additional vinaigrette. Garnish as desired. Serve with grilled flat bread.
"FIFTY" (This got a little long, but you only turn 50 once.)
It’s been said that life is about the journey and not the destination. I’ve always been kind of a destination girl myself and am often accused of burning the candle at both ends. As a friend of mine once said, “You are always trying to pack ten pounds of shit into a five pound bag”. I do not dispute either charge, they often remind me of a Jack London poem that I am fond of. “I would rather be ashes then dust! I would rather that my spark burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dryrot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of a man (woman) is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time”. My natural talents are in creating, in making people happy and in entertaining. Since I was a kid, I have been a participator. I knew that I would be a part of something, and hoped it would make a difference. After a brief unfulfilling modeling career, I turned my attention to what I knew best, food (now you know why my modeling career was so short); and started learning the in’s and outs of the hospitality business. For research and pleasure, I dined at some of the fanciest of restaurants where the food was marginal and ate in some of the dirtiest beer joints, where the food was exceptional, and vise versa. My entrepreneurial spirit caught fire and I soon took off trying to create/make my own life. Although it was often at my expense, it was a great ride. I have had the opportunity to cater all kinds of events, from Baby Showers to Weddings to Film Sets, for Senators, Actors and Cardinal’s. I have owned/operated 3 (at the time), cutting edge restaurants, each with their own successes and failures. All of this seemed to fit with my plan. What I did not ever think, was that at the age of 50 I would wear a hairnet, a hardhat and butchers frock. But don’t let the outfit fool you – this is important stuff. Being a dairy farmers daughter, big landscapes and hard work were part of my genetic make-up, so it was easy to join Dan in his quest to restore/preserve our ranch back to health, and hopefully impact others to do the same. Although this too has often been at our expense, it has been worth every penny and has also been quite a ride! I’ve had the opportunity to: move buffalo on horseback, assist in creating a moveable harvester that would provide humane harvest of animals, develop cooking techniques for grass-fed meat, open a processing plant, get to know some of the coolest conscious carnivores on the planet, and watch the transformation of what care of environment and of animals can do for a landscape. It’s good work – if you can get it! In addition to all the above, I have a great family, a handful of good friends, two kids and a son in-law that I’m crazy about and who are crazy about me too. And, I’ve had the great adventure of running around with Dan O’Brien. Dan has also loved my children and has been a true father in every sense of the word. Thank you Dan. This Father’s Day, on the 16th I will turn 50! Woop, Woop! And before I blow out the brilliant blaze of 50 birthday candles, I will …
Caldo de Bisonte (Bison Soup)
Caldo de Bisonte (Bison Soup) Crock Pot Notes: The first rule is, know your Crock Pots heat cycle temperatures. After my first failed recipe attempt, due to my Crock Pot low setting being too hot, I replaced it with a newer model that has more options. Low should be a simmer with small bubbles breaking the surface, no more then 200*. Recipe Notes: Vegetables for this dish are often left in larger pieces and corn still on the cob. For eating convenience I have made them spoon size edible. Ingredients: 1 Tb. olive oil 1 3 lb. pkg. Wild Idea Buffalo Short Ribs 2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. black pepper 2 tsp. cumin 2 tsp. coriander 1 tsp. cardamom 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 quart water 1 10oz. can diced tomatoes 2 cups buffalo stock or organic chicken broth ¼ cup fresh lime juice ½ cabbage, chopped ½ onion, chopped 4 carrots, peeled and sliced 6 to 8 new potatoes, par-boiled and quartered 2 small zucchini, quartered and sliced 1 16oz. bag frozen corn Preparation: 1.) Pre-heat Crock Pot to highest temperature. 2.) Rinse ribs, pat dry and cut into 3 to 4 pieces, with bone in each piece. 3.) Mix all of the dry spices together and divide into two dishes. 4.) Add ribs, half of the spice mixture, water and diced tomatoes to Crock Pot, cover and bring to a boil. 5.) Reduce heat to low and set Crock Pot for 8 hours. 6.) Skim off any visible fat or foam form the top. (At this point you can refrigerate, allowing fat or foam to settle on top, making it easy to remove. I would allow ribs & broth to set over night or until ready to use. Bring to full heat and continue.) 7.) Turn heat to high. Add additional stock and remaining spices and allow it to come to boil, this step for ½ hour. Pour yourself a glass of wine and go sit on the deck. 8.) Add vegetables to Crock Pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for ½ hour. Freshen your wine, return to deck or garden. 9.) Season to taste. Serve in bowls and garnish with cilantro or *Pico de Gallo. *Recipe included with purchase.Accompany with grilled quesadilla’s or warm tortillas. Wine Pairing: Clos du Bois Fume Blanc
My Favorite Spices
May 2013, Story and Recipe: By Jill O’Brien As spices go, my quintessential favorite trio, are the three C’s, cardamom, coriander and cumin. These spices compliment the sweet grassiness of 100% grass-fed bison beautifully. With the upcoming Cinco de Mayo celebrations and other springtime fiestas, it’s the perfect time to incorporate them into your recipes. Using this trio of C’s I have down, but there is another C word that frightens me; it is not a spice, but a cooking device, called the “Crock Pot”. It frightens me because I know nothing about cooking with them, except for warming something up that has already been cooked. A couple of weeks ago, I was helping a customer who was ordering for the first time and he was selecting items that he could prepare for his family using a “Crock Pot”. Ribs were a favorite of his boys, and asked that I enclose recipes for Crock Pot cooking. After hanging up, I quickly called my sister Teresa for some tips and modified other recipes that I thought would work well. Then I made a resolution to master the Crock Pot, or at least provide you with a handful of solid recipes. The warmer temperatures this time of year move us outside for most all cooking as we are an air condition free household. And although I enjoy the grilling season, there are many nights when I arrive home that I wish there was a hot meal waiting. The below recipe is the first in a series of Crock Pot recipes to come. It is easy to prepare and like many other recipes included with our May Special, it incorporates the quintessential trio of C’s, light citrusy flavors – perfect for spring! Salud! Jill Caldo de Bisonte (Bison Soup) Crock Pot Notes: The first rule is, know your Crock Pot heat cycle temperatures. After my first failed recipe attempt, due to my Crock Pot low setting being too hot, I replaced it with a newer model that has more options. Low should be a simmer with small bubbles breaking the surface, no more then 200*. Recipe Notes: Vegetables are often left in larger pieces and corn still on the cob, I think mostly for presentation. For eating convenience I have made them spoon size edible. Ingredients: 1 Tb. olive oil 1 3 lb. pkg. Wild Idea Buffalo Short Ribs 2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. black pepper 2 tsp. cumin 2 tsp. coriander 1 tsp. cardamom 2 tsp. oregano 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 quart water 1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes 2 cups buffalo stock or organic chicken broth ¼ cup fresh lime juice ½ cabbage, chopped ½ onion, chopped 4 carrots, peeled and sliced 6 to 8 new potatoes, par-boiled and quartered 2 small zucchini, quartered and sliced 1 16oz. bag frozen corn Preparation: Pre-heat Crock Pot to highest temperature. Rinse ribs, pat dry and cut into 3 to 4 pieces, with bone in each piece. Mix all of the dry spices together and divide into two dishes. Add ribs, half of the spice mixture, water and diced tomatoes to Crock Pot, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and set Crock Pot for 8 hours. Skim off any visible fat or foam from the top. (At this point you can refrigerate, allowing fat or foam to settle on top, making it easy to remove. I would allow ribs & broth to set over night or until ready to use. Bring to full heat and continue. Turn heat to high. Add additional stock and remaining spices and allow it …
Frog Symphony
I have heard Chorus Frogs every spring for my entire life, but I never saw one until the May of 2008. I was following Mike Forsberg around southeastern Montana in search of stories and photographs for Mike’s book, GREAT PLAINS, America’s lingering wild. I can’t remember what our objective was but we were in the middle of an enormous pasture and we were walking. It takes a long time to walk anywhere with Forsberg because he stops and looks at everything. When you walk with any good photographer what you are really doing is wandering. So I was wandering around southeastern Montana with Mike Forsberg on a beautiful spring afternoon taking pictures of flowers, clouds, rusty barbed wire fences, and windmills when the faint sound of Chorus Frogs drifted over a hill. The vocalization of a Chorus Frog is a little like a variety of small frogs known collectively as “tree frogs and their allies.” The Chorus Frog must be an “ally” because they are often found where there are no trees for miles. That was the case that day in Montana – no trees, just grass and a little wind. The sound of the frogs blended in with the rustle of the wind and the songs of prairie, ground nesting birds that were newly back from their winter migration. Male Meadow Larks, Bobolinks, and Buntings were setting up territories and serenading the females with all their hearts. Probably the singing of the Chorus Frog had been blending with the ambient sounds for a while before we even noticed it, but as the afternoon wore on, the sound intensified until Mike couldn’t stand it. “Have you ever seen one of those little devils?” I shrugged. “No. I’ve never even looked for one.” In fact, Chorus Frogs are such a commonfeature of the Great Plains that I had never even thought much about them. Since I could remember, they were a constant in the soundtrack of my spring existence. When we walked over the hill and found a small stock-pond created by adikebuilt across a little draw. Spring runoff had filled the pond and the Chorus Frogs were doing the amphibious version of what the birds were doing. Their shrill voices seemed to rise from the water’s edge of the entire pond. My Peterson Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians describes the sound of the Chorus Frog as prreep, prreep, but that description does not do it justice. It is an insistent sound when you concentrate on it but has the ability to recede in your consciousness until it is barely noticeable. The pond was alive with singers and we crept, shoulder to shoulder, up to the water where one particularly boisterous frog was sounding off. We moved like a pair of blue herons, very slowly, raising high and planting gently one foot at a time. When we got to the edge of the pond the sound was gone and I looked carefully, expecting the frog to leap into the water and disappear. There was no leap and splash so we bent over and squinted along the grassy edge. Still nothing. He must have heard us and took off, so we split up and started off in search of the next frog. But we had only gone a few feet when the first frog started up again – exactly where we had been looking. We went back but still saw nothing. Other frogs were singing just a little way along the water’s edge so we moved off again in opposite directions. I was intent on sneaking up on one before …
Spring Time Chorus
Last Saturday evening my parents, Colton and I took the time to drive through the buffalo herd. Words cannot describe how incredible that hour and half was. Little buffalo calves were scattered throughout the pasture. It is always a joy to see those little orange balls of fluff running and bucking at their mother’s side. We sat in silence to take it all in. The setting sky, soft buffalo grunts, and the actions of the little calves could easily hypnotize someone for hours. One thing that was out of the ordinary was an amplified chorus of frogs from the nearby dam. It caught me by complete surprise as spring has just finally settled in at the Ranch. Much needed moisture has filled the dam and has in turn, brought life back to it. This dam sat silent all of last year due to lack of moisture which left it dry. The noise coming from the community of frogs was a symphony of spring arrival. In talking with Dan we believe that the Western Chorus Frog (no bigger than a thumb nail) made up the spring symphony. Below is a short video – meant more for audio and a picture of this incredibly tiny but vocal frog.
Baby Buffalo & Blizzards
Last week we were lucky enough to get a blizzard. It’s very dry here and at this point we aren’t too particular in how moisture comes. We were also expecting to see our first calf at anytime and although we received 20″ of snow we weren’t too concerned. Bison evolved in this country and are well adapted to weather extremes. There is a theory that bison can hold off giving birth until after a storm has passed. We’re unsure if this is fact, but the morning after last week’s blizzard, we got our first glimpse of this year’s first baby. Mother and baby are doing well. Dan brings hay to supplement the lack of grass. I tag along to get photos of the herd and a glimpse of the new babies. The new mom’s remove themselves from the main herd and set up what we call “the maternity ward”, complete with new and expecting mothers. Within a few days we had 5 baby calves, and another blizzard on the way. The snow came heavy last night without wind, frosting the landscape all the way to the horizon. I grabbed my camera gear this morning and headed out with Dan for the morning hay feeding. The weight of the snow quiets the ranch to where all you can hear is your heart beat and the soft grunts of the buffalo. They seem undisturbed in their warm down, wooly coats. While Dan rolls out 2 tons of hay, I go off in search of the maternity ward to insure that all is ok. I find them content in a shallow wooded draw. Babies close to their mothers, until the little ones take off, leaping occasionally on their new wobbly legs! The mothers stay close behind, nudging them further into the draw and out of my view. A great morning!
Free Roaming Buffalo
Two weekends ago, I took these pictures while a group of us were guiding a respectably sized herd of buffalo back to pastures that lie between the Cheyenne River Ranch and the Cheyenne River itself. For the last five and a half months these animal’s temporary home has been an ever changing landscape, comprised of windy creeks, badland buttes and open prairies surround by walls of steep hills that are peppered with cedar trees. As we moved the herd, we watched them float across the landscape. They knew where every creek crossing and green patch of grass was. Although some of the older cows didn’t seem to be in a hurry to head back to the other side of the river, they still moved at a pace that showed purpose. These cows will soon begin to gather in maternity wards in preparation for spring calving. The new calves will spend the early months of their life in pastures that lack the buttes, creeks, and steep draw banks. Instead, they will take their first shaky steps on land that seems to extend to the horizon. As spring turns to summer, the new calves will venture around the wide open country as they follow the rest of the herd. Just as they start to become familiar with the terrain, the time will come for them to head out with the rest of the herd for life on the other side of the river.
Affairs of the Heart
February – is the month that we celebrate the affairs of the heart. The boom, boom, boom that holds love, and keeps us going. When filled with love, it has the ability to “rock our world”. When not cared for or mistreated, it can leave us shattered. After the completion of a college course that Jilian had taken, she was explaining to me the theory that a broken heart is a learned emotion. Although not convinced herself, Jilian was making a pretty good case, but I just couldn’t buy it. How is it I asked, that when any form of love leaves you, you can feel your heart literally breaking in two? When this occurs, I find that food helps. The words that describe love often mirror those that describe food. Sweet, warm, spicy, tangy, decadent, and hot, come to mind effortlessly. It makes sense that the main muscle that keeps us going needs to be fed emotionally and nutritiously, but ironic that the adjectives used to describe those feeds are similar. This month with the purchase of any of our fabulous specials, we are including a five course Valentine Menu, complete with recipes that are sweet, warm, spicy, tangy, decadent, and hot. It will hopefully fall in the “rock your world” category, both emotionally and nutritiously! Below is a sneak peak at one of the dishes. Hope you enjoy. Wishing you all a happy, healthy heart. Jill Course II: Mussels in Tomato Broth with Buffalo Chorizo (serves 2) Note: You might be thinking that this will be too heavy for a second course, but it is light dish (as long as you don’t dip too much bread into the delicious broth). The flavors complement each other nicely and the chorizo adds a nice spice! The sauce can be made in advance, leaving the steaming of claims for the last minute. Ingredients: 1 teaspoon olive oil + 4oz. Wild Idea Buffalo Chorizo ½ cup yellow onion, diced 1 clove garlic, chopped ½ teaspoon each salt & pepper 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds 1 teaspoon chili flake *optional 1 15oz. can, diced tomatoes 1 cup white wine 12 to 16 mussels, washed and de-bearded Preparation: In a heavy sauté pan over medium high heat, heat 1-teaspoon olive oil. Crumble sausage into pan and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Remove sausage from pan, place in bowl and cover with saran. Set aside. Return pan to heat and add additional oil if needed. Add onion and garlic, sautéing until tender, about 5 minutes. Add seasonings, tomatoes and wine. Stir to incorporate and bring to a boil. *At this point you could remove from heat, cover and reheat when ready to serve. Add prepared mussels, cover and allow mussels to steam for 4 minutes. Most all of the shells should have popped open. Discard un-open shells. Add chorizo back to pan and stir to incorporate and heat. Serve direct from pan or spoon into serving bowls. Garnish with green leek ringlets and lemon wedge. Serve with warm artisan bread. Wine Pairing: You could stay with a dry Prosseco for this course or switch to a Dry Riesling or light red.
Bison at the Inaugural Luncheon
With the American Bison being considered as the official country mammal, it seems only right that bison be the center of the plate for the 2013 Inaugural Luncheon. We were delighted when we heard that Buffalo Tenderloin from South Dakota had been selected, but disappointed that the White House did not call us to procure some of our 100% grass-fed, 100% antibiotic free, and 100% humanely harvested, delicious buffalo meat. Our local newspaper called and asked if I would be interested in re-creating the bison portion of the second course, which I agreed to. Upon looking over the whole menu, my first response was; “Wow! That’s a lot of food”. In addition to the steak and the sauce, the second course has four side accompaniments! After reviewing, I thought it seemed busy, lacked texture, and had flavors that would overpower the subtle flavor of 100% grass-fed buffalo tenderloin. I am uncertain if they will be using grass-fed bison, but even with that, I didn’t think it was my place to question the Executive Chef of the White House! I decided to make all the dishes as the recipes indicated, and see if my hunches were right. During the preparation, I started to wonder how I would plate all of the dishes into one lovely presentation. There was not a plating recommendation, so after a few plating set up’s, I landed on one that I liked and made sense to me. Also, from a photography perspective I was concerned how to include the squash, as the orange color would distract from all other items. It was not until after I had plated, and photographed the course, that I found a link that showed a plate presentation. Darn it! Below is my photograph, followed by each of the recipes in their original form, with my notes in italics. It was great fun and a wonderful learning experience. I hope you enjoy some of the recipes too and have the opportunity to create your own Inaugural Meal, presidential or otherwise. Cheers! Jill Bison Steaks (serves 4) Due to a blizzard, outdoor grilling was not an option. I prepared steaks as listed below, but replaced minced garlic with garlic powder, because it will burn. I seared the tenderloin steaks in a 500*+ cast iron skillet for 3 minutes each top & bottom, and seared the sides until just brown, about a minute total. Remove steaks and cover, allowing to rest for 5 minutes before serving. I did not use hickory, as indoor cooking did not allow. Although I have not tried hickory smoked tenderloin, with the other flavors would not probably use. Ingredients 4 each bison tenderloin, 5 oz 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1/4 tablespoon garlic, minced 1 tablespoon rosemary, fresh, rough chopped 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1 quart hickory wood chips, for grilling Preparation Marinate bison steaks overnight with oil, garlic, rosemary and black pepper. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator, remove the large pieces of rosemary and then season with salt and pepper on all sides of bison. Allow the steaks to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to allow the salt to dilute and penetrate the meat. For grilling of the steaks, you will need to soak the wood chips in warm water for 30 minutes prior to grilling. The wood chips should be added to your charcoal 5 minutes prior to grilling to allow them to burn and produce the necessary smoke you will need for the flavor in the steaks. Grill steaks on each side for approximately 5-8 minutes for a medium rare steak, depending on thickness of the pieces. Remove from grill and …
Buffalo Wellington
(serves 6 to 8) The traditional Wellington is typically made using the Tenderloin cut and Foie Grois Pate. I find this dish plenty rich without the Foie Gras and prepare a savory vegetable pate instead. You can prepare using whole Tenderloin, or my favorite is using individual pre-cut steaks (Tenderloin or Top Sirloin steaks work well), creating the perfect portion. Another option for hors d’oeuvres, is using our Tenderloin Tips, for a delicious pop in your mouth Petite Wellingtons. Ingredients: 6 or 8 – 5oz. to 8oz. Tenderloin or Top Sirloin Steaks, rinsed and patted dry 1 Tb. olive oil 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 2 to 4 sheets Puff Pastry, thawed (4 serving per sheet for 5oz steaks, 2 servings per sheet for 8oz. You may have some scraps left over.) Ingredients for Pate: (Makes enough for 8 Steaks, or 1 whole Tenderloin. Left overs can be tossed with rice or used in a soup at a later time.) 4 Tb. butter 1 cup onion, diced 4 medium cloves garlic, chopped ½ cup carrot, shopped and flash processed ½ cup celery, chopped and flash processed 2 cups mushrooms, diced 2 cups mushrooms, sliced 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, minced 2 tsp. dry thyme 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 1½ cup’s dry sherry ½ cup red wine Preparation: Rub individual steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat heavy sauté pan over medium high heat and place prepped steaks in hot pan. Brown for 1 minute each side for 5 oz. cut or 2 minutes each side for 8oz. cut. Remove from pan, and set aside, loosely covered with saran. Return pan to heat and add butter, onion, garlic, carrots, celery and seasonings. Sauté for 6 minutes. Add chopped mushrooms and continue to sauté for an additional 4 minutes. Fold in remaining sliced mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with sherry and bring to full heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until liquids are almost gone, about 10 minutes. Add red wine and simmer until all liquids are gone, but pate is still moist. Remove pate from pan and allow it to come to room temperature. Reserve pan, do not wash. Cut puff pastry into squares, roll out lightly or stretch gently with hands. To assemble pat juices away with paper towel from the bottom of prepared steaks and place in the center of the pastry. Top steaks with desired amount of vegetable pate. Pull two opposite pastry corners up and over steak and pate, folding in sides. Pinch pastry together, right below pastry corner, leaving a leaf like tab. Repeat with the other two corners. Pinch all together at top, pulling on pastry corners to create a leaf like design. Place Wellingtons on lightly oiled baking sheet or non-stick baking sheet. Wellingtons can be loosely covered with saran wrap and placed in the refrigerator until ready to bake, for up to 2 hours. Pre-heat oven to 475*. Place Wellingtons in hot oven and bake until pastry is golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Serve with wild rice and Wine Sauce. Ingredients for Marsala or Madiera Sauce: 2 Tb. butter 1 cup sliced mushrooms 2 cups Dry Marsala, Dry Madeira or lighter bodied red wine 2 cups buffalo or organic beef stock 1 Tb. arrowroot Preparation: Return sauté pan to medium high heat and add the butter. While butter is melting, scrape up the brown bits from the bottom. Add mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes. Add wine and stock, and bring to full heat. Reduce heat to medium low …
Gangnam Style Buffalo Flank Steak
This recipe was inspired by my new addiction to the “Gangnam Style” dance. The Korean word gangnam, stands for the south side of Seoul, were there are many fancy restaurants and shops. My recipe is a rendition of Bulgogi (Korean B.B.Q.), which can be served a variety of ways. Here are two of my favorite renditions. Note: Traditionally the Koreans use high end cuts, but I find that this is not necessary. The flank steak becomes very tender in the marinade. You are going to love this recipe. Get your gangnam on! Ingredients: 2 lbs. Buffalo Flank Steak 1/2 cup Braggs Amino Liquids 2 Tb. Sesame Oil 6 cloves garlic 1 Asian pear, or pear, peeled & cored 4 green onions, chopped 1 tsp. black pepper 2 Tb. sugar 1 Tb. red pepper flake Gangnam Style Lettuce Wraps (serves 8) Instructions: Rinse flank steaks, pat dry and remove any exterior fat. Place flank steaks on cutting board, using sharp knife cut flank steak on the bias into ¼ “ slices. To cut steaks on the bias, tilt your knife to a 45* angle (the top of your knife blade should be at the 10:00 position). Place sliced flank steaks into a non-reactive bowl. Place remaining ingredients in blender and puree. Pour marinade over meat and massage into meat. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Heat a wok to high heat or place a large sauté pan over high heat. Brush pan with a little sesame oil, once hot add marinated meat to pan. Stir meat in a tossing manner while cooking, for 3 to 4 minutes. To Serve: Place meat on platter with leaf lettuce or iceberg lettuce, accompany with warm rice or rice noodles and julienned vegetables of your choice, along with sesame seeds, fresh garlic, grated ginger and red pepper flake. Gangnam Style Buffalo Stew Additional ingredients: 1 quart buffalo broth, (or vegetable or beef broth) 4 cups variety vegetables, chopped (I used, peppers, squash, mushrooms and green onion.) 4 cups cooked rice Instructions: Prepare as above through #4. Pile meat in center of the wok or pan. Add vegetables to pan, circling around meat. Add broth and bring to a boil. Push meat down into broth, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. To Serve: Place ½ cup of rice into bowls and ladle with hot stew. Pass with sesame seeds, grated garlic, fresh ginger and red chili flake.
Lasagna
Lasagna (serves 4 to 6) This month’s recipe is for Italian Buffalo Sausage Lasagna. It’s a great dish to prepare in advance, to have for days that run too short, or when you are just too tired. There is something about a hot meal at the end of a long day that is so rewarding. A gift really, that says thank you. Ingredients: 1 – Batch Buffalo Meat Sauce 1 – pkg. no boil lasagna sheets 1 – lb. fresh mozzarella, sliced 8oz. – parmesan, grated * optional roasted zucchini Buffalo Meat Sauce Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 – pound Wild Idea Buffalo Italian Sausage 1 – onion, diced 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried basil 2 teaspoon dried crushed fennel ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely diced 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 – cup red wine 1 quart crushed tomatoes, (rinse jar with 1 cup water) 1 tablespoon brown sugar ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon lemon juice Preparation of Sauce: Heat olive oil in heavy sauce pan over medium high heat. Coarsely crumble in Buffalo Italian Sausage and stir once. Add onion, garlic and dried spices. Stir to incorporate. Continue to cook until sausage is lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add red wine and stir. Add remaining ingredients. Let ingredients come to full heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until desired thickness is achieved. Stir occasionally. Season to taste. Assembly: Lightly oil lasagna pan or casserole dish. Cover bottom of pan with one cup meat sauce. Layer with lasagna sheets, meat sauce, and mozzarella. (Roasted zucchini may be added to layers if you choose.) Repeat layers 2 to 3 times based on pan size, ending with a thin layer of meat sauce on top. Cover with foil and bake at 375* for 45 minutes or until bubbly. Cover top with grated Parmesan and allow to melt or lightly brown.
Cooking Light Names Wild Idea Buffalo Taste Test Award Winner in Third Annual List
RAPID CITY, SD, SEPTEMBER 12, 2012 – Wild Idea Buffalo’s bone-in ribeye steak was named a Taste Test Award Winner as part of Cooking Light’s third annual Taste Test Awards, also known as “The Tasties,” which name the best-tasting and healthiest grocery store products and stand-out artisanal treats from across the country in 19 categories. The feature appears in the October issue, on newsstands Friday, September 14 and available online at CookingLight.com/TasteTestAwards. For the artisanal category, the Cooking Light editors, along with a team of regional food experts, sampled everything from wild chokecherry jelly to smokehouse brisket. In the three years since Cooking Light began giving these awards, the number of small-batch food producers has grown deliriously, and so has the quality of their product. Twenty-seven winning products were chosen across six categories: Condiments, Sweets, Cheese, Booze, Meat, and Best of the Rest. “It has is a huge honor to win this award. There are so many great artisan food products in America today, so we feel this is a great recognition of the quality of our buffalo meat,” said Josh Resnik, CEO of Wild Idea Buffalo. “We always say that our buffalo are raised better to taste better.” “We raise our buffalo on only native grass, water, and sunshine,” said Jill O’Brien, owner of Wild Idea Buffalo. “The result is a sweeter, earthier taste. Also, since our buffalo are 100% grass-fed, they are much leaner and are low in calories, fat, and cholesterol, but high in Omega-3s.” “Cooking Light’s Taste Test Awards illustrate exactly what we’ve been telling consumers for the past 25 years—healthy is delicious,” says Cooking Light editor Scott Mowbray. “From kitchen staples and lunch bag snacks in the grocery category to decadent cheeses and indulgent sweets in the artisanal category, this year’s winning products are stand-outs in the ever-growing world of food products.” Check out Wild Idea’s Artisan Award Sampler! About Cooking Light At 25 years, Cooking Light is the nation’s leading epicurean magazine brand with the largest audience and most epicurean editorial. Cooking Light is the only epicurean brand positioned at the intersection of great-tasting food and healthfulness, serving an important and growing consumer need. The brand delivers innovative recipes, nutrition advice, and resources to live a healthful lifestyle via its magazine, Web site, and portfolio of cookbooks; across all tablets; through the highly-acclaimed Cooking Light Quick and Healthy Menu Maker app; and on social media platforms including, Facebook (Facebook.com/CookingLight), Twitter (@Cooking_Light), Pinterest (Pinterest.com/CookingLight) and Instagram. Cooking Light is part of the Time Inc. Lifestyle Group, a division of Time Inc., the largest magazine media company in the U.S.
Hot Dogs for the Dog Days of Summer
It really is the “Dog Days of Summer” at Wild Idea Buffalo Co. A few months ago we got a nifty new smoker so we could make smoked, and ready to eat products in house. We recently launched a few items, and one of them was the Hot Dog. Our Buffalo Hot Dogs are handmade, by our in-house butchers and seasoned with organic spices. Although they may not be perfect in shape (they are handmade), there are no hidden ingredients. But, the best part is the taste! As I grow older, the foods I eat are often determined by what likes me, and not by what I like. What Dan and I have really noticed is that non grass-fed products, or other chemically enhanced foods truly change the way we feel. So when we sat down to put our hot dogs to the test, after years of not being able to eat them, we were delightfully surprised! Adults will love them, kids will love them, and yes, even your dog will love them. This month’s recipe is for “Chili Dogs”, as August seems to be a month were we break the rules of etiquette and often eat food with our hands. Perhaps it’s influenced by the fairs, carnivals and ball games we attend, squeezing in all the summer possible with every hand held bite. Or, the delicious seasonal fruits and vegetables that we pick and stuff into our mouths! Wishing you a deliciously HAPPY August! Cheers! Jill Buffalo Chili Dogs (Serves 6) Ingredients: 1 – pkg. Wild IdeaBuffaloHot Dogs 2 – cups Wild Idea Buffalo Chili, heated (recipe below) 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese, shredded 6 hot dog buns (whole wheat or whole grain, best) 1 Tb. Olive oil *optional toppings: pickled jalapeno’s, raw onion or your favorite extra Instructions: Preheat inside gas grill to 550*. (Half of grill set on high and other half set on low). Place hot dogs over hot side of grill and grill for 2 minutes each side, closing grill during cooking time. While hot dogs are grilling brush inside of buns with olive oil and place inside down over low heat side of the grill, and brown. About two minutes. Remove browned buns and place hot dogs on buns. Top each hot dog with 1/3 cup of heated chili and sprinkle each with ¼ cup of shredded cheddar cheese. (Cheese will melt on its own, or use small torch if you would like to lightly brown cheese). Serve with optional toppings and a lot of napkins! 4 Bean Bison Chili Makes 10 to 12 entrée servings. Chili freezes nicely. Portion out and freeze for a quick meal at a later date. Ingredients: 2 pounds ground bison 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons cumin 2½ tablespoons chili powder ½ tablespoon oregano ½ tablespoon thyme 2 teaspoons coriander ½ teaspoon each smoked paprika and cayenne 1 tablespoon black pepper 2 teaspoons salt 1 quart stewed tomatoes 1 quart tomato sauce 8 golden peperoncini, diced + juices 1 15oz can each: butter beans, black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans, (drained – but not rinsed) 1 lemon, juiced 2 cups water Mix all dry spices together. In heavy stew pot, over medium high heat, heat olive oil. Add Wild Idea bison meat, crumbling into small pieces. Lightly brown, stirring constantly for 4 minutes. Add onion, garlic and seasonings. Continue to brown, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for ½ to 1 hour, or until desired thickness …
Smoked Buffalo Brisket
Smoked Buffalo Brisket Serves 6 – Active time 10 minutes I have tried smoking buffalo briskets in a smoker, to achieve that smoky pit flavor. My attempts were unsuccessful, as the lean, healthy, buffalo meat becomes dry. This faux smoked technique achieves the tenderness and the flavor of slow smoked meat. Leftovers make excellent cold sandwiches. Ingredients: 1 3 lb. Wild Idea Buffalo Brisket 1 tablespoon liquid smoke 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon paprika or smoked paprika 2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 tablespoon cider vinegar Rinse brisket and pat dry, and place on sheet of foil, with the fattiest side up. Mix liquid smoke, olive oil and spices together. Rub the seasoning into the brisket. Fold the foil around the brisket, pour vinegar under brisket on foil and seal foil edges. Reinforce with an additional sheet of foil, sealing tightly. This can be done up to 24 hours ahead of grilling time. Let roast rest at room temperature 2 hours before grilling. For Char Grill: Start a large amount of coals in half of the grill, coals are ready when half have become ashen colored. Place roast on grill rack opposite coals, and cover leaving vent open. Grill for 1 hour, and close vents. Continue to grill for 3 more hours. Add a few more coals half way through cooking to maintain heat temperature. Turn brisket at his time. Remove roast from grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Uncover and slice. Serve with juices that have accumulated in foil. For Gas Grill: Allow grill to come to 400*. Place foil wrapped brisket in center of grill, and turn off burners directly under brisket, leaving burners on each side on high. Grill for 1 hour. Turn burners down and maintain heat of 350*. Continue to grill for 3 hours. Turn brisket halfway through cooking time. Remove roast from grill and let rest for 10 minutes. Uncover, slice or pull apart. Serve with juices that have accumulated in foil.
Buffalo Sausage & Egg Casserole
Buffalo Sausage & Egg Casserole serves 8 (Recipe created by my friend Valerie) A wonderful dish for brunch. Recipe can be made ahead for convenience. Ingredients: 1 lb. Wild Idea Buffalo Sausage (Italian Buffalo or Breakfast Sausage) ½ cup chopped shallots 2 garlic cloves minced ½ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped 4 Tb. fresh parsley, chopped 8eggs (best farm fresh or organic) 1 cup half & half 1 cup heavy cream 2 cups mozzarella cheese, grated ½ tp. Salt 1 tp. Pepper Preparation: Preheat oven to 375*. Butter a 13x9x2 casserole dish. Over medium high heat in heavy sauté pan, crumble sausage and cook until lightly browned. Add shallots, garlic, tomatoes and 2 Tb. parsley and sauté for 3 minutes. Spread Buffalo Sausage mixture in bottom of prepared casserole dish . Whisk eggs. Add half & half, cream, 1 cup of cheese, salt and pepper. Mix until well incorporated. Pour over Buffalo Sausage mixture, and cover with remaining cheese and sprinkle with remaining parsley. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Grilled Buffalo Steaks
Our meals become pretty simple in the summer. In addition to what we eat, how we eat is minimized too. Frequently dinner consist of a grilled buffalo cut, and grilled vegetables on salad greens. The complete meal is served on the cutting board that the vegetables were prepped on. Other than cutting the steak, silverware is optional. Somehow the food just tastes better, you’ll just have to try it. Below is my simple way of “how to grill a steak”. Although this may be easy for many of you, it is a question that I get a lot. I hope it is helpful. Enjoy! Jill Rinse Wild Idea Bison steaks, and pat dry with a paper towel. Drizzle olive oil on steak and season generously with salt & pepper. Loosely cover and let steak rest at room temperature for 2 hours. For Gas Grill: Insure grill grids are clean. Turn all burners on high and close grill cover. Allow gas grill heat to come to 550*. Place steak on grill, close lid and cook for 3 minutes. Turn steak and cook for an additional 2.5 minutes, for medium rare. Remove steak from grill and place on serving plate and cover for 5 minutes. Serve grilled steaks with grilled vegetables, salad greens and bread. Vegetables can be added to grill at the same time as the steak, turn as above. Simply delicious! Wine Pairing: We have the great pleasure of meeting so many great people through WIB. One of our clients, just so happens to be a wine distributor, specializing in French wines from the Madiran & Gaillac Regions. These varietals are not too heavy, with just the right amount of fruitiness, balanced tannins and earthiness. They are also high in “resveratrol” properties! Here are two that compliment buffalo nicely: Madiran, Vieilles Vignes, Chateau Laffitte – Teston 2005 & Domaine de Labarthe – Gaillac 2006
Navajo Bison and Corn Dumpling Stew
Navajo Buffalo and Corn Dumpling Stew (Serves 8) This light stew allows each ingredient to stand on its own. Although you immediately think hearty comfort food, this dish has more of an elegant taste and finish. A new favorite! Ingredients: For Stew: 2 lbs. Bison Stew Meat, rinsed and patted dry 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 large garlic cloves, minced 4 celery stalks with leaves, sliced, divide into 2 piles 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 ½ quarts vegetable stock or organic chicken stock 3 tablespoons tomato paste 4 red potatoes, cubed (can substitute yams) 5 carrots, halved and sliced For Dumplings: ½ cup yellow cornmeal ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground sage 2 tablespoons cold butter ½ cup frozen whole kernel corn 1/2 cup 2% milk Preparation: Season meat with salt and pepper, tossing to coat. In heavy stock pot, over med-high to high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add half of stew meat and cook until brown, stirring occasionally. Transfer browned meat to a bowl, and repeat above step with remaining half. Return first batch of browned stew meat back to the pot and add the onion, garlic, half of celery and spices. Stir to incorporate and cook until vegetables are tender. Stir in stock and tomato paste, and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and let come to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes or until stew meat is tender. Add carrots and remaining celery and cook for an additional 10 minutes. During last stages of braising combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add 1 cup frozen corn and stir to incorporate. Stir in milk to form dough. Drop round tablespoons of dough into simmering pot. Cover and simmer for 12 minutes. To serve, spoon stew onto individual plates, placing dumplings on top. Serve with my friend Sue’s, Kale Salad, (recipe included with purchase). Wine Pairing: Tempranillo, Bodegas Barco de Piedra, Ribera del Duero, Spain. A nicely rounded combination of fruit and earth, with lively acidity.
Navajo Buffalo and Corn Dumpling Stew
One of the great benefits of food is that it gives us a window into a world of other cultures and history. Recently I read a Facebook post about a delicious Lamb and Corn Dumpling Stew. I messaged back to request the recipe, but I never heard back. So I turned to the great God, Google. My search came up with many recipes titled, “Navajo Lamb and Corn Dumpling Stew”. Hmm, I thought – when did the Navajo start eating lamb? First, I went to my walking encyclopedia Dan, whose quick answer was, “when the Spaniards came” and “that I should research it”. This caused me to have a grade school flashback, but back to the computer I went. Clicking through pages of interesting information, I uncovered that the Navajo are related to the Athabaskans of Canada, that they ventured to the Southwest after the 1300s, that the Pueblos introduced them to farming and that when the Spaniards came (1500s) they influenced them with their domesticated livestock. But I’m guessing that before they hung up their hunting and gathering ways, there was many a buffalo stew prepared. Below is my rendition of Navajo Buffalo and Corn Dumpling Stew. It is a lighter take on a traditional hearty stew, and it’s oh so good. A new favorite at the O’Brien’s. Hope you enjoy it too. Cheers!
Seared Buffalo Steaks on Polenta Cake with Spicy Cherry Mole
For a Valentines Day treat, try this modern adaptation of an old favorite of mine. This sweet and decadent recipe will be sure to make the evening a special one. Serves 4 This recipe is super easy and most can be made ahead of time. Mole Ingredients: 1 – Tablespoon butter 1 – cup red onion, chopped 1 – clove garlic, chopped ½ – teaspoon each: cinnamon, cumin and fennel ¼ – teaspoon cloves, oregano and black pepper 1 – 15.5 oz. can dark cherries in heavy syrup 1 – 3oz. can roasted green chili’s ½ – cup diced canned tomatoes squeeze of fresh lime 1 – chipotle pepper in adobo sauce 1 oz. 70% dark chocolate In saucepan over medium heat add butter and melt. Add onion and garlic, stir and cover to soften but not brown, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients except chocolate and bring to a simmer. Place all ingredients in blender and pulse puree until smooth. Return to saucepan and bring to simmer. Break chocolate into pieces and stir into sauce. (Sauce can be made in advance and reheated). For the Polenta: * Note: You will have leftover polenta – but great as leftover by itself or crumbled to use in omelets. Ingredients: 2 cups 2% milk 1 cup half and half ¾ cup polenta ½ teaspoon kosher salt 2 oz. Chevre ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for pan frying In heavy pan over medium high heat bring liquid to a boil. Using a whisk, whisk in polenta slowly. Once incorporated reduce heat to low and continue to whisk, adding remaining ingredients except cilantro. After about 3 minutes stir in cilantro. Salt to taste. Line a 6×9 pan with saran wrap and pour polenta in pan. Cover with an additional piece of saran wrap and allow polenta to set. (Polenta can be made ahead.) Cut out polenta cakes with cookie cuter or knife to desired portion. Heat oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Pan fry cakes for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. For Steaks: 4 – 5 oz. Top Sirloin Steaks 1 Tablespoon olive oil ½ teaspoon salt and pepper Rinse steaks and pat dry. Rub steaks with oil, salt and pepper, and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature. In cast iron skillet over medium high heat, sear steaks for 2 and a half minutes on each side. Remove steaks to platter and cover until ready to serve. To Serve: Place a puddle of Mole sauce on plate. Place polenta cake on sauce and top cake with seared buffalo steak. Serve with pan fried red onions and garnish with cilantro. Wine Pairing: 2008 Apothic Red, CA: A blend of three grape varietals, Syrah, Zinfandel and Merlot. The fruity semisweet wine was a nice compliment to the spicy mole. After dinner we enjoyed a Tawny Pork!
Fragrant Stir Fried Buffalo
If you are looking to try out a new take on stir fry, then check out this fresh, fragrant, and light recipe. Not only is it good for you, but it tastes delicious!! Serves 4. Approximately 243 calories per serving, (calories calculated with out rice or noodles). Note: The recipe below is not diet food, but it’s good for you, simple and tasty. Adjust vegetables to your preference. Serving with white rice makes for a prettier plate, but wild rice is healthier, (which Dan thinks taste like dirt), so we compromise and do a mix. Rice noodles are also a nice accompaniment. 1 – 1 lb. Buffalo Steak Strips, rinse and pat dry 2 – Tablespoons Sesame Oil 1 ½ – cup White Wine 1 – Tablespoon Lemon Juice 1 – Tablespoon Asian Fish Sauce 1 – Tablespoon Red Curry Paste + to taste 2 – Teaspoons Brown Sugar 1 – Red Bell Pepper, julienned 1 – Red Onion, julienned 1 – Head Broccoli Florets — about 2 cups 1 – Cup fresh Cherry Tomatoes, halved (or) sub ½ cups chopped Sundried Tomatoes 1 – Cup Basil, julienned Mix together white wine, lemon, fish sauce, curry paste, and brown sugar. Over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in heavy sauté pan or wok. Add Buffalo Steak Strips and flash sauté for 1 minute. Turning to brown. Remove Buffalo to platter and lower heat to medium. Heat remaining oil in same pan and add the pepper, onion, and broccoli. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add wine mixture and tomatoes. Bring to simmer. Add buffalo back to pan and basil. Quick stir to incorporate. Remove form heat and serve immediately. Serve on rice or rice noodles and garnish with fresh basil leaf and lemon wedge. Wine pairing: 2009 Chateau Les Rouilleres Bordeaux, France A dry red with a light fruitiness, compliments the spice in the dish nicely.
Buffalo Wellington Stew
Serves 8 A classic gourmet dish, in an easy-to-make stew. This is a great recipe for large dinner parties or family get-togethers. Ingredients: 2 pounds Buffalo Stew Meat, rinsed and patted dry 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper 2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely diced 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, diced 1 onion, diced 2 cups mushrooms, sliced 4 stalks celery, sliced 5 carrots, peeled, halved and sliced 1 cup dry sherry 3 cups red wine 1 quart buffalo stock or organic beef stock 5 potatoes, unpeeled, parboiled whole and cubed 2 to 3 tablespoons arrow root or corn starch ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped Refrigerated puff pastry Preparation: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large pot over medium high heat. Add half of stew meat, and sauté until meat is browned. Remove browned stew meat from pan, set aside. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to pan and brown as above. Add first batch of browned stew meat back to pan, along with dried seasoning, garlic and onion. Sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and stir to incorporate. Cook for 3 minutes. Add sherry, and 2 cups of the red wine. Stir to incorporate. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for ½ hour. Uncover and bring heat up to medium high. Add stock, celery and carrots, stir in to incorporate and bring to full heat. Reduce heat back to low, cover and let simmer for an additional ½ hour. Uncover and add potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Mix thickening agent with remaining 1 cup wine, and whisk into stew. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat, add parsley, and season to taste. Ladle stew into individual serving bowls Optional: Top with warm baked Puff Pastry. Cut pastry into dimensions of inner serving bowls. Bake pastry circles at 475°, until golden brown. Garnish with sour cream and fresh thyme.
4 Bean Bison Chili
Serves 10 If you are looking for a great chili to bring to your next chili cook-off or football game, then try this recipe and let the compliments roll in. Even better the second (or third) day – if there’s leftovers. INGREDIENTS: 2 pounds ground bison 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons cumin 2½ tablespoons chili powder ½ tablespoon oregano ½ tablespoon thyme 2 teaspoons coriander ½ teaspoon each smoked paprika and cayenne 1 tablespoon black pepper 2 teaspoons salt 1 Quart stewed tomatoes 1 Quart tomato sauce 8 golden pepperoncini, diced + juices 1 15oz can each: butter beans, black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans, (drained – but not rinsed) 1 lemon, juiced 2 cups water PREPARATION: 1.) Mix all dry spices together. 2.) In heavy stew pot, over medium high heat, heat olive oil. 3.) Add Wild Idea bison meat, crumbling into small pieces. Lightly brown, stirring constantly for 4 minutes. 4.) Add onion, garlic and seasonings. Continue to brown, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. 5.) Add remaining ingredients and bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for ½ to 1 hour, or until desired thickness is achieved. Adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with fresh lime or lemon wedges, fresh chopped cilantro, sour cream, or grated cheddar cheese. Serve with Cheesy Jalapeño Corn Bread, recipe included with purchase, upon request.
The New Year & Fragrant Stir Fried Buffalo
I love food and by the looks of my one-year-old picture (on the right), it is obvious that since the beginning, food loved me too. From very early on, I remember people saying that I had legs like Bronk Nagurski. They remain solid to this day. In my family, having meat on your bones was a safeguard. This was reinforced by my Lebanese Aunt Lizzy and Uncle Tom, a Polish butcher. When visiting, after the warm hugs were given, they would hold us at arms length and say; “Looookatch you – you are too thin – what if something happens? Come, sit down – you must eat”. Platters of cheeses and hot miniature sausages would follow. We would gobble them up and then be treated to one of Aunties delicious desserts. After all, you never know… one must be prepared. Although farm chores helped keep us lean, some of us had trouble spots. In my early teens my siblings teased me with the nickname BB. Embarrassingly I confess that it stood for “big butt”, not the other that one might think. Although not completely true, it added to my awareness that I would have to watch growing, not up, but out. I have been notably thin only three times in my life. Mostly, I have maintained a healthy weight by good ol’ fashioned eating right and exercise. Occasionally, the numbers on the scale have shocked me into chasing the latest fad diet. I have had some success, (with my favorite being, the dark beer diet) and many failures. No sweets other than wedding cake – turned me into a “wedding crasher”! Cottage Cheese and Grapefruit – 1 day tops! Take away my carbohydrates – never! Growing up in a “foodie” family has not been easy. But, every January, after the holiday binging is over and the Seasonal Affected Disorder has settled in – I renew my vow to take better care of myself. After all, you never know… one must be prepared. Cheers to fresh starts, good health and success with your New Year resolutions! Jill
Carpetbag Steaks
On our recent trip to the east coast Dan and I found ourselves on an oyster binge. Meandering up the coast from New Haven to Boston we sampled them at every stop. We ate them in stew, Rockefeller style, but mostly we slurped them down raw. They say that oysters are an aphrodisiac (which we did not experience), and that they are good for you. M.F.K. Fisher writes in “Consider the Oyster” that oysters are healthful and nourishing. That they keep you fit, have fuel value, aid to your intellect and will prevent a goiter. More oysters – please! Our oyster fest got me talking about a dish I used to prepare occasionally, called the Carpetbag Steak, which is a steak stuffed with oysters. “You should try that with buffalo”, Dan said, as Mignonette juice ran from his mouth. I dabbed his face with a napkin and replied, “Good idea”. It turned out better then I remembered which I attribute to the rich but clean taste of the buffalo meat. It was delicious and deserving of a celebration. Perhaps a dinner invitation for special friends – what a wonderful gift idea! Warmest holiday wishes to you all. Cheers! Jill
Stewed Bison Heart
Bison Heart Recipe (serves 6) This recipe is courtesy of a Wild Idea Buffalo customer, supporter & friend, Angela Anderson. It is an adaptation from one of her favorite Bavarian cookbooks. We tried it and it received rave reviews from all. Plus, its super easy! *Optional: I’ve also made doubling the tomatoes and garlic, but adding just a little of the sour cream while stewing. Pass with the remaining sour cream. Ingredients: About 2 lbs. of Wild Idea Buffalo Heart, cut into large cubes 6 oz. of bacon 2 oz. butter 2 onions, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 6 fresh tomatoes, peeled & chopped or 3 tbsp of tomato paste 1/4 bottle of white wine 8 oz of sour cream Fresh or dried basil and parsley 1.) Cut the bacon into small bits and fry in 2 oz of butter 2.) Add the chopped onions garlic and sauté. 3.) Add buffalo heart to the bacon onions and garlic, and let it brown. 4.) Add 1/2 cup of water, tomatoes or paste, and the wine.. 5.) Simmer for 30 minutes covered and then for 15 minutes without the lid. Stir the sour cream into the sauce. 6.) Sprinkle with fresh herbs. *Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.
Mushroom & Onion Stuffed Blue Cheese Buffalo Burgers
If you are looking to please a group with a delicious buffalo burger, these savory stuffed buffalo burgers with Maytag Blue Cheese should certainly satisfy! Recipe approved by a group from Clemson University. 2 lbs. Wild Idea Ground Buffalo 2 Tbl. olive oil 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper 3 Tbl. butter 1 onion, diced 1 cup sliced mushrooms ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 6 to 12 oz. Maytag Blue Cheese 6 Potato Rolls Mix buffalo, olive oil and 1 tsp. each of salt & pepper together and form into 12 burgers. Make burgers a bit bigger then the bun to allow for shrinkage. Cover and refrigerate. In heavy sauté pan, over medium high heat melt butter. Add onions, ½ tsp salt & 1 tsp pepper and sauté for 5 minutes. Edges should brown a bit. Add mushrooms and continue to sauté for an additional 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium and let cook until browned. About 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Remove Buffalo Burgers from refrigerator and spoon desired amount in the center of 6 burgers. Place the other burger on top and secure edges. Turn gas grill to high heat or get coals very hot with cleaned & oiled grid low to heat. Place burgers on grill over hot heat and grill for 3 minutes. Turn and top with 1 to 2 oz Blue Cheese and grill for an additional 3 minutes. Serve on Potato Rolls and serve with pickled crudites, lettuce and tomato garnie and Buffalo Chips (recipe for Buffalo Chips included with this months special). Wine Pairing: Alamos, Malbec, Argentina: Full and fruity with a hint of spice, carries the Blue Cheese and compliments the meat without overpowering.
Summer Finger Food & Grilled Buffalo Steak
Our meals become pretty simple this time of year. In addition to what we eat, how we eat is minimized too. Frequently dinner consist of a grilled buffalo cut, and grilled vegetables on salad greens. The complete meal is served on the cutting board that the vegetables were prepped on. Other than cutting the steak, silverware is optional. Somehow the food just tastes better, you’ll just have to try it. Below is my simple way of “how to grill a steak”. Although this may be easy for many of you, it is a question that I get a lot. I hope it is helpful. Enjoy! Jill
Stuffed Ravioli with Simple Tomato Sauce
Buffalo Stuffed Ravioli with Simple Tomato Sauce (Serves 6) Homemade ravioli stuffed with Buffalo Italian Sausage might be the perfect dish for the last jar of canned tomatoes in your cupboard from last year’s harvest. This recipe celebrates the flavor of canned garden tomatoes and is complimented by the grassy sweetness of our artisan Italian Sausage. Although you might think homemade pasta is time consuming, once you establish your rolling and thickness of dough (I set my pasta roller setting on 6) , it’s easy and quick. I also thought it unnecessary to cook the meat before filling the ravioli’s. It cooks through just fine during boiling process. The end result will be a light dish with all the ingredients harmoniously balanced. The only difficulty, is stopping yourself from a second, or third helping…. Canned tomato notes: I had placed a garlic clove and a couple of basil sprigs in my tomatoes when I canned them. Add to your sauce if you would like, or find a base that already has them. Simple Tomato Sauce: 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 large headed shallot, peeled and julienned 1 quart jar canned tomatoes (or best canned tomatoes available) 1 sprig fresh oregano, leaves only chopped 1 sprig fresh basil, leaves only chopped ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 cup water In saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat. Add shallots and sauté for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until lightly browned. Add tomatoes, seasoning and water and stir to incorporate. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat until ready to use. Ravioli Filling: 1 lb. Italian Buffalo Sausage 8 oz. fresh Buffalo Mozzarella, drained for 1 hr. Pasta Dough Ingredients: Makes 30 + Raviolis 1 cup Semolina flour 1 cup unbleached flour ½ teaspoon salt 3 eggs 2 tablespoons water On clean work surface mix flours & salt. Create whole in center of flour mixture. Mix eggs and water in bowl, and pour into flour center. Gradually whisk in flour until well incorporated. Add more water if needed. Kneed dough until smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes. Separate dough into 3 sections. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Ravioli Assembly: Roll one section of dough into a rectangle. Place your pasta machine roller dial on 1 and run dough through. Run dough through two more times, second on dial 3, and third on dial 6. Place strip of dough on lightly floured counter and cut into smaller rectangles, about 2.5 x 4. Place ½ oz. of Italian sausage in bottom center of rectangle. Place ¼ oz of buffalo mozzarella on top of sausage. Fold top half of pasta over bottom half. Seal sides together with damp fork. Place ravioli’s on a floured sheet pan continue above process with remaining dough. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place 10 raviolis in pot at one time. Boil for about 4 minutes. Raviolis will float to the top when they are done. Remove ravioli’s with slotted spoon and place in bowl cover to keep warm. To Serve: Place 5 ravioli’s in pasta bowl and pour one cup of pasta sauce over the top. Garnish with freshly grated Parmigianino Reggiano and serve immediately. Accompany with *Caesar Salad. *Recipe included in this months special. Wine Pairing: VILLA POZZI, 2009 NERO D’ AVOLA, SICILY, ITALY I found this gem of a wine at our grocery store. Its full fruit and soft tannins paired nicely with the acidity of the tomatoes. It’s one to remember and you will love the beautiful deep purple color.
This Years Garden & Buffalo Stuffed Ravioli with Simple Tomato Sauce
Dan & I have been talking about our “this years garden” since the first seed catalogs arrived a couple of months ago. The conversation turned from planting, to what our gardening efforts would produce, as I pulled the last jar of canned tomatoes from the pantry. It deserved something special, but simple. Homemade ravioli stuffed with Buffalo Italian Sausage might be the perfect dish for the celebratory jarred tomatoes, but, it had to be easy. I have made homemade pasta before, and although you might think it time consuming, once you establish your rolling and thickness of dough, it’s easy and quick. The end result was a light dish with all the ingredients harmoniously balanced. The only difficulty, is stopping yourself from a second, or third helping…. Cheers to spring! Jill
Irish Stew & Food Experiences
This month’s recipe is my rendition of “Irish Stew”. And, I must say, it’s super delicious. But first, I wanted to share with you our worst, and best food experiences while we were in Costa Rica. I hope they make you smile and bring back your own food travel memories. First, the worst: A charter rep at our hotel had advised us to do the “Sunset Cruise”. A two and half hour romantic cruise complete with cocktails, hors d’ oeuvres and the chance to see wildlife. It was $50.00 per person, so – we signed up. A dingy boat picked us up in the cove were our hotel was located, and from there we were shuttled to our cruiser boat, a rusty worn out bucket of bolts. Upon arriving we glanced around looking for the bar. I had imagined flutes of champagne a top white linens blowing in the ocean breeze. No champagne, no linens, no bar. But, we were on the water and although it was very rough that afternoon, it was also very nice. A bit later our host came leaping around saying “rum coke, like vodka ginger-ale, rum coke, like vodka ginger-ale”. One rum coke and one like vodka ginger-ale, we replied. We weren’t sure what we were drinking, but we drank them happily anyway. Soon dolphins started jumping and birds floated effortlessly over the ocean surface, waiting for their dinner to present itself. By this time we had diminished any idea of hors d’oeuvre’s. But, as if on queue, our host appeared again, still leaping back and forth, but this time shouting, “Ohhh – dophin, dophin, ohh look out, dophin jump in da boht”! All while holding a plastic tray with three Styrofoam bowls. A boy followed him close with two tubular bags of chips. One by one they stood over you waiting while you stuck your hand in the bag to retrieve what you could from its slim opening. The orange tray was lowered with options of bean dip, ranch dressing, and salsa. Again we participated happily. We roared with laughter, not so much at what we were experiencing, but of each others looks on our faces. The trip back is a whole story in itself. In short, it involved a dingy boat, pitch blackness, rough water, and a bus. Not a good value, yet at the same time, priceless! The Best: Before going to Costa Rica I researched authentic places to eat, I found one just outside Liberia, Cantarranas Tacos. It said it was a local favorite and should not be missed. Even with a GPS it took us a couple of laps to find it. It was so obscure, we questioned whether we had the right place. Dan went in to check it out, as he loves REAL, authentic local hangouts. On cleanliness, the place was questionable. If in the US, it would have been shut down by the health department in a second. But this was indeed the place. It was early, so we were one of two tables. We were greeted by the owner, who was the only employee. He was gracious and thankfully for us spoke English. We had a beer and ordered a couple of entrée’s. The restaurant was open, so we watched as he took bricks of meat from the freezer in the “tidy” prep area, walked through the restaurant, and placed them on the hoodless grill in the opposite corner of the restaurant. Occasionally he would lift the lids that covered the meat and chop it with a machete. Our deliciously tender grilled meat was served with …
Irish Stew with Colcannon
Irish Stew This is my first crock pot recipe. The meat turned out perfectly, and the gravy just right. Although many Irish Stew’s use Guinness, I find stout’s to strong for grass-fed buffalo meat. Also, I roast the vegetables for a firmer texture but they could easily be added right to the pot. The method listed below makes for a great presentation. Serves 6 to 8. Colcannon Ingredients: ½ lb. cabbage or kale, sliced ¼ cup parsley sprigs 4 green onions, chopped ¼ cup hot milk 2 lbs. butter potatoes 3 tablespoons butter ¼ cup hot milk ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper Vegetables Ingredients: 6 carrots, peeled and sliced 4 parsnips, peeled and sliced 4 leeks, halved and sliced 2 teaspoons olive oil salt and pepper Base ingredients for Stew: 1 – 3 lb. Wild Idea Chuck Roast, remove netting, rinsed and pat dry. 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon thyme 2 bay leaves 2 celery stalks ½ onion, chopped 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 2 bottles of Smithwick’s Beer 2 cups buffalo Stock or organic beef stock ½ cup red wine 1 tablespoon arrowroot Colcannon: Add cabbage to a pot of boiling water, reduce heat and simmer until tender. Add parsley and green onion and continue to simmer for two minutes. Drain water and place cabbage in blender with ¼ cup hot milk, salt and pepper. Puree. Place potatoes in pot of boiling water and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Drain all but 2 inches of water from the pot and continue to cook uncovered until water is gone or potatoes are tender. Pull skins of cooked potatoes. Place in a mixing bowl with butter and hot milk. Smash potatoes first and then mix with electric mixer until fluffy. Add cabbage puree and mix until just incorporated. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to serve. *I make this the night before and reheat in microwave before serving. Vegetables: Place vegetables on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in 400* oven for 10 minutes. Vegetables should be firm, tender and slightly browned. Prep vegetables ahead of time and roast right before serving. Stew: Place olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and thyme in crockpot and mix together. Roll prepped roast in herbs in crockpot. Turn crockpot to high. Add bay leaf, celery, onion, tomatoes, beer and stock. Cook covered for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and let cook for up to 8 hours. Remove roast from pot and place on cutting board. Using two forks, pull Buffalo roast apart into serving size pieces. Turn crockpot back to high, letting juices come to a boil. Mix red wine and arrow root together and whisk into juices. Adjust to your desired thickness, and season to taste. Return buffalo roast pieces back to crockpot. To Plate: In shallow soup bowl or pasta bowl, place a scoop of hot colcannon to edge of bowl. Place buffalo roast into side of colcannon. Ladle gravy in bowl, and add vegetable to gravy. Serve with crusty bread. Wine Pairing: 2007 Zolo Malbec, Mendoza Argentina Fruit and earth aromas that carry over to the palate. The well balanced tannins give it a lush finish. Complements the stew nicely without overpowering it.
New Year Resolution 2013 & Citrus Steaks with Winter Squash
Here we go again. Another year, another start, same resolution; Take better care of myself, exercise, and eat right. Why is this easier said then done? If I could learn to say no, I would have time to exercise. Now for the “eat right” part ….. It seems any more you need a PHD to eat right. What’s better, whole fat, low fat, or fat free? Is there food value in fat free? Do I consider organic? Is the organic, happy animal organic. or in a pen organic? Does it matter? It’s enough to make a person grab a candy bar and call it good. And, to top it all off, we’re to have this renewed enthusiasm in January. I could stand some sunshine. Thank goodness it’s grapefruit season, the saving grace of January! I swear there’s a little burst of sunshine in every bite, and it’s really good for you! This month’s recipe incorporates fresh, clean ingredients, for a delicious healthy meal. So good, you won’t even miss the butter (as a dairy farmer’s daughter this is hard to do). Enjoy and cheers to your healthy you! Citrus Steaks with Winter Squash
Citrus Steaks with Winter Squash
I love this low calorie marinade. It is especially a welcome in the heart of winter, with a taste of citrus sunshine in every bite. Perfect on steaks and vegetables, with just the right amount of zing, for a simple, delicious, healthy dinner! Grapefruit, Green Chili and Cilantro Marinade Makes 3/4 cup. Marinade Ingredients: 1 Grapefruit, juiced ½ Jalapeno, seeded 2 Anaheim peppers, roasted, peeled & seeded ½ cup Cilantro, packed 4 fresh Basil leaves ½ teaspoon Salt 1 teaspoon Black Pepper 2 tablespoons Olive Oil Mix all ingredients in blender. Set aside. Other Ingredients: 2 Wild Idea Top Sirloin or Sirloin, Buffalo Steaks ½ cup Marinade 1 Acorn or small Butternut Squash 1 teaspoon Basil Olive Oil ½ teaspoon Salt 1 teaspoon Black Pepper Prepare marinade and place half in a zip-lock bag, reserve remaining marinade for later use. Rinse steaks and pat dry. Place steaks in marinade, seal and massage marinade into steak. Marinate for 6 to 24 hours. Let rest at room temperature for 2 hours before grilling. Cut squash in half and seed. Place squash skin up, on baking dish. Bake at 325* for 40 minutes or until tender. Scoop squash out of skin and place in bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, and pepper. Stir to incorporate. Cover to keep warm. Remove steaks from marinade and shake. Preheat grill to high heat. Brush grill grates with oil. Place steaks over high heat and grill for 3 minutes each side (for medium rare) with grill cover closed. Remove steaks from grill and slice. To serve divide sliced steaks and warm squash onto plates. Heat remaining marinade and drizzle over steaks & squash. Serve with green vegetable. 2007 Sean Minor “Four Bears” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon This cabernet has a slightly sweet, cherry and berry jam quality to it. With a hint of spice, soft tannins and light oak, makes this a new cab favorite on my list.
Buffalo Mincemeat Pie
Mincemeat Pie with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce Serves 8 to 12 entrée or 46 Petite Pies (which are great for hors d’oeuvres) Note: This recipe is a main dish pie. Do not let the length of this recipe detour you. Although there is a little work involved ahead of time, it is fairly easy and is a perfect make a head dish that will fill your house with delicious aromatic aromas. Mincemeat Ingredients: 2 tsp. cumin 2 tsp. cardamom 2 tsp. ginger 2 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. allspice ½ tsp. cayenne ½ tsp. turmeric ½ tsp. cloves 1 Tb. olive oil 2 lb. pkg. Ready to use Wild Idea Buffalo Stew Meat, rinsed & patted dry, or 2 lbs. Ground Round 1 onion, chopped 1 Tb. garlic, chopped 3 Tb. lemon juice ½ cup raisins 2 apples, peeled & chopped ½ cup bourbon (Buffalo Trace) 1 cup apple cider 1 Tb. molasses Mix all dry spices together and set aside. Heat oil in heavy stock pot over medium high heat. Add stew meat and stir, cook for 3 minutes. Add onion and spices, stirring to incorporate. Cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic, lemon juice, raisins and apples and stir to incorporate. Add bourbon and then cider. Stir to incorporate and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook until most (but not all) of the liquids are removed. Place ingredients into food processor and pulse puree until meat is finely minced. Cover & set aside. Pie Crust Makes, 1 double pie crust. This is a heartier crust that stands up nicely to the mincemeat. Ingredients: 2 cups unbleached flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. sugar 1½ sticks butter, cut into small pieces 3 eggs, beaten Place dry ingredients in a mixer and incorporate. Add butter pieces at a time. Add eggs slowly. Remove dough from mixer onto floured surface and lightly dust. Divide dough into 2 parts and roll out slightly between floured parchment papers. Line 8” deep pie pan with rolled pastry, dough should hangover the edge. Fill with mincemeat, spreading around evenly. Top with remaining pastry round, pinching top & bottom pastry together, pulling any excess off. Create pie edge with fingers or fork. With remaining pastry roll out and cut into leave patterns and place on top of pie. Cut 3 slits into top of pie pastry. Bake pie in a 375* oven for 1 hour, crust should be golden brown. Or refrigerate and bake at a later time. Serve pie with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce. Super Delicious! Cilantro Yogurt Sauce Makes 1 ½ cups Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk or low-fat vanilla yogurt 2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped ¼ cup fresh mint leaves 1 jalapeno, seeded 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped 1 teaspoon cumin 1 tablespoon lemon juice ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup cucumber, finely chopped Place all ingredients except cucumbers into blender and puree. Fold in cucumbers if desired. Keep refrigerated, but pull ½ hour before serving. This sauce is great on many things and keeps for 1 week in refrigerator. Wine Pairing: V. Sattui Winery, St. Helena CA – 2005, Pilgrim Vineyard, Lodi Zinfandel This wine was an offering from good friends. Light to the nose, but peels away its hidden flavors of anise, spice and earth on the palate. With a velvety finish that tastes like “one more glass”! They ship directly: www.vsattui.com
Steak & Green Beans
A couple of weeks ago Dan & I drove across the state to the community where I grew up to attend my late fathers side of the family annual reunion. My sister Teresa and her husband Greg hosted the event on their farm. It was well attended with ages ranging from 3 to 93. It was a “pot luck” meal, which meant we would be enjoying a lot of old familiar dishes. The casseroles, salads, and desserts were strung out on long tables. How do you choose when so much goodness is in front of you? There were the obvious homemade choices of, cousin Joan’s Lefsa, Aunt Evelyn’s Cake Doughnuts, Aunt Delores’s Meringue Pies, sister Teresa’s Rhubarb Crisp, and of course Jello Salad. The next day after our sugar binge, we gathered fresh vegetables from their abundant garden and made a favorite dish from our childhood, our mother’s “Steak & Greens Beans”. It turned out better then ever. Maybe it was all the fresh ingredients, mixed in with a whole lot of laughter & love. 4 – 6 oz. Buffalo Steaks (Stew Meat, or Steak Strips ) 1 – Tb. olive oil 1 – tsp. salt 1 – Tb. pepper 1 – onion, chopped 2 – cloves garlic, chopped 3 – ripe tomatoes, chopped 2 – Tb. fresh herbs ( basil, oregano & thyme) 1 – cup vegetable stock 4 – potatoes, quartered 2 – handfuls of green beans Pre-heat oven to 350* Rinse steaks or other cuts and pat dry. Rub steaks with half the olive oil and season with salt & pepper. In heavy pot or casserole, over medium high heat, and sear steaks on both sides to brown. Remove & set aside. Add remaining olive oil, onion, & garlic to pan and sauté for 4 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, herbs and stock, and bring to full heat. Add potatoes and seared steaks, and push into the tomatoes. Cover and place in a 375* pre-heated oven. Braise for 30 minutes. Add green beans and cover and braise for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and season to taste. Serve with crusty French bread. Delicious! Wine Pairing: We had this with a couple of different Shiraz’s, Penfolds & Wolf Blass, Australia. Both were very good. Full and round with hints of plum & spice, and at an excellent price!
A very satisfied client
Dear Jilian, I am a returning client and a very satisfied one. I just finished cooking the last of my (first) shipment from October, and I had to restock immediately. I am very impressed with how well your products are prepared. For example, I have never seen cleaner stew meat – there wasn’t a single piece of silverskin or fat to remove. I look forward to my next shipment. Kirsten
My twin girls love your buffalo meat
Thanks so much Jilian, My twin girls love your buffalo meat, knowing they are eating something that is healthy and nutritious gives me peace of mind, especially in today’s day and age, with most everything being corn fed, not to mention all that needs to be put into the animal to keep it healthy. Jim, RI
Thank you and thank you again.
Oh my goodness!!!! I am not a red meat eater – we had dinner guest and decided we would make the round roast from our order. The directions were PERFECT!!!!!! The meal was incredible – I am so grateful for the food, the quality and your generous recipe. I loved it – I loved it so much – it was so tasty and tender and the spices were again….perfect. Thank you and thank you again. Looking forward to additional meals with your product once we finish this order. Olga
Buffalo are Back
Fifteen years ago I spent most of my time with rattling, smelly farm machinery, either being severely jarred as I drove up and down the fields or lying under it trying to fix something. Our South Dakota ranch supported a couple hundred beef cattle and all summer long we rolled hay into huge, round bales in the blistering heat, and all through the freezing winter we rolled the bales back out on the ground so the cows wouldn’t starve. The smell of diesel fuel permeated my clothes and the skin beneath my fingernails was tattooed with axle grease. One cold, snowy day, just after Christmas in 1996, as I lay under a tractor that wouldn’t start, it occurred to me that what this ranch really needed was an animal that could thrive without my help. I rolled out from under the tractor and rocked up onto my knees. Squinting against the brilliant snow, I tried to imagine our ranch before Europeans came to the Great Plains. I saw buffalo moving silently across the horizon, turning grass to healthy, red meat with no clattering of engines or fog of diesel fumes. The Great Plains is the heart of our country. But like a human heart that has been stressed by abuse, it has been weakened and is in need of restoration. When Europeans first arrived here they found lean and healthy native people. They found seemingly endless pastures of indigenous grasses, huge skies darkened by migrating birds and about 60 million buffalo. American buffalo, also known as bison, were slaughtered in massive numbers in the late 1800s. By 1900 they were near extinction with only about 400 animals remaining. With conservation, their population has slowly rebounded and now there are about 350,000 on public and private lands. Today the Plains are broken up by fences that hold cattle destined for feedlots. Most of the native prairie has been plowed under, leaving the land bare to the ravages of wind and water erosion. Native grasses have been replaced with government-subsidized commodity crops, such as corn, cotton and wheat. These crops grow with the aid of petroleum-based fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides that run off into the water. With less available habitat, native animals and birds are being squeezed out. To complete the circle, most of the subsidized corn is fed to the cattle that replaced the buffalo.
We love your buffalo and are converting our friends…
Hi Jill & Jillian, Thanks for the totals and your help in making our friend very happy. I think I told you she is turning 77 on Wednesday and had never tried buffalo. She is a bit nervous about some things but loves to eat. The package arrived Friday afternoon as you said it would and she had a young friend grill two of the NY Strip steaks on Sunday. She LOVED them and so did he. So there are two converts to buffalo whenever we can send it. And we enjoyed two tenderloins from our own package. The brisket is going in the brine as I write so next week I can comment on that. I have NEVER done anything like this before so am excited and trepidatious at the same time. Even my friend here in Winner whose husband does some cattle ranching on the side did not know about soaking beef brisket to make it “corned”. So lots of learning here. The recipe is easy to follow and answered all my concerns as I went along. My husband is impressed with the wine pairings. Thanks again! Thanks again. We will see you sometime at the ranch to check it out. Happy Day! Pat
Thank you for suppling healthy buffalo meat…
Hi, Jilian…thank you for providing my options for obtaining the buffalo products. A next Tuesday delivery, will be fine, this time. Whenever I will be planning a trip to Rapid City, I will try to plan ahead, and pick it up at your place! My health is kind of up and down, and buffalo is the most important main-stay, of my very basic, diet. My local health food store, has trouble with the supply side of their buffalo supplier, and I am trying to find a supplier, upon whom I can rely, on a consistent basis, to have most of my buffalo needs. I will also try to do MY part, and stock the freezer well! Thank you again…I am so far, impressed, by your company, website, and customer service! I hope to be a future long-time customer! Jan.
Corned Buffalo Brisket
It has been years since I have made “scratch” Corned Beef. I revisited an old recipe, made some modern adjustments, and ended up with delicious results. The American Irish have adopted “Corned Beef” as their official St. Paddy’s celebratory food. And after making this dish, complete with the parsley potatoes and wilted cabbage, one has to wonder why we eat it only once a year? I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. *The leftovers made an excellent Corned Buffalo Hash for breakfast!
Jill’s Favorite Buffalo Burgers
Wild Idea’s Ground Buffalo is 95% lean, delicious and very versatile. Use in any of your favorite dishes, such as Taco’s, Sloppy Joe’s and Meat Loaf. Below are a couple of my favorite buffalo burger recipe. Makes 6 to 8 Buffalo Burgers Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon mustard 1 teaspoon ketchup 1 teaspoon thyme 2 teaspoon salt & pepper 2 lbs. Ground Buffalo Mix all ingredients, but Buffalo together. Add Buffalo & mix thoroughly with hands. Pat into 6 patties. Place in refrigerator to firm up burgers. Grill over high heat for 3 minutes each side for Medium Rare. Dan & I like to drizzle a little more olive oil over and sear for another half minute per each side for medium. This give the burgers a bit of a crust on the outside. Remove form the grill, and sprinkle with a high quality finishing salt. Allow to rest for a couple of minutes before serving. Serve on high quality buns, with your favorite toppings.
Wild Idea Ready Made Buffalo Burgers
For a super convenient, healthy, and delicious fast food, this is my number one go to Wild Idea Buffalo product.I find it easier to prepare these while the patties are still partially frozen. You are going to love them too! Preparation: 1) Partially thaw burgers, pull apart and place on a baking sheet or platter. 2) Preheat gas grill to 500 degrees. 3) Rub Wild Idea Ready Made Burgers with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. 4) For medium rare burgers, place burgers on a hot grill, and grill for 2.5 minutes each side with the grill lid closed. 5) Remove from grill and sprinkle with a little high quality finishing salt. Dinner is on the table in under ten minutes!
Buffalo Steak Preparations
Premium Steaks: Tenderloin Filets, Ribeyes, New Yorks, Top Sirloins, Terres Major Filet, Eye of Chuck Filet, Bone-In Ribeye, T-Bone, Porterhouse, Hanger Steak The above listed cuts take minimal preparation. For basic grilling, rub steaks with olive oil, salt, and pepper and let them rest at room temperature for 2 hours before cooking. Artisan Steaks: Sirloin Steak, Round Heel Steak, Tri-Tip Steak-Roast Pierce steaks with a fine tined fork and then continue with preparation listed above. Marinading Steaks: Flank Steak, Skirt Steak, Flat-Iron Steak For best results these steaks require marinading. Pierce steaks with a fine tined fork, and place in a marinade to achieve maximum tenderness for 8 to 24 hours. Allow steaks to rest at room temperature for 2 hours before grilling. Shake off excess marinade before cooking. Follow one of the cooking preparations below. Slice thin on the bias. Gas Grilling: Insure grill grate is clean. Preheat grill to high heat and close lid. Temperature should be 500*. Brush grill grate with oil. Place prepared steaks on grill, close grill lid during grilling and follow cooking times below. Remove steak from grill and place on plate. Cover tightly with foil and let steak rest for 5 minutes before serving. Char Grilling: Insure grill grate is clean. Pile coals high in center. Allow coals to become slightly white, for hottest heat. Using tongs spread coals around evenly. Oil grill grate and place low and close to coals. Place prepared steaks on grill, close grill lid during grilling and follow cooking times below. Remove steak from grill and place on plate. Cover tightly with foil and let steak rest for 5 minutes before serving. Pan Searing: Heat seasoned (rubbed with oil) cast iron skillet over medium high heat and allow pan to become very hot. Place prepared steaks in hot pan and follow cooking times below. Remove steak from pan and place on plate. Cover tightly with foil and let steak rest for 5 minutes. Grilling Time: 1/2″ thick: 2 minutes each side for medium rare. 1″ thick – 3 minutes on the first side, and two minutes on second side for medium rare. 1 1/2″ thick – 4 minutes each side for medium rare. Increase or decrease time according to steaks thickness and your personal preference. Temperature Guide–Internal temperatures of meat: Rare – 130 degrees. Medium-rare – 140 degrees. Medium – 150 degrees.
Buffalo Roast Preparations
Wild Idea Hanging Tender The Hanging Tenderloin is also known as the “Mock Tender”, as it is shaped similarly and is very tender and flavorful. It is located next to the liver, so the flavor is even richer and sweeter. The texture is somewhere in between steak and liver, which creates quicker, grilling time. I either grill the hanging tender whole, or cut into steaks. There is a piece of sinew that runs the length of the tenderloin, I usually leave that in, but it could be removed if you wish. By removing the sinew you will end up with pieces of meat, which works great for kabobs. Wild Idea Sirloin Tip and Top Round Roasts: I use two methods for cooking the Top Round & Sirloin Tip Roasts; one is marinating and cooking at higher temperature for a shorter period of time; and the other is low & slow. Both of these roasts work well for grilling or roasting. Method 1 – Marinated Fast Cooking Roast Pierce the roast with a fine-tined fork. Place in marinade of your choice & let rest 1 hr. at room temperature before refrigerating Refrigerate up to 48 hours Remove from marinade, pat dry & rub with seasonings. Let rest at room temperature 2 hours before grilling or roasting. For grilling: Sear all sides of roast over hot coals or medium high gas flame, (about four turns at 5 minutes each). Move roast to medium heat and cover grill. Continue grilling, for 20+ minutes, turning once for medium rare. Internal temperature should read 145*. For roasting: Sear all sides of roast in heavy deep pan on medium high burner, turning as above. Place roast in 375* oven & continue to cook for 30 minutes, or till internal temperature reads 145*. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Cut on the bias into thin slices. Method 2 – Slow Cooking Roast Rub roast with olive oil & season as desired. Let rest at room temperature for 1 hr. In heavy roasting pan on stove top sear roast on all sides over med. high heat. Remove roast add coarsely chopped onions & celery & sauté for 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with ½ cup water or wine Remove from burner & place roast back in pan on top of vegetables Place internal meat thermometer in the center of the roast Place in pre-heated oven @ 175* and roast until internal temperature reads 140* – about 3 hrs. This should produce a medium rare roast. Wild Idea Chuck Roast For best results I braise the Chuck Roast, this produces a tender, flavorful roast. Rub roast with olive oil, salt & pepper. Sear in a hot Dutch oven, in oven at 475* or on medium high heat on stove top (about 3 minutes each side turning 4 times). Remove roast and add coarsely chopped onions, sauté for 5 minutes. Place roast back in pan, add chopped garlic & braising liquid (beer or apple cider works great & makes a wonderful gravy), place in hot oven 475* for 10 min. Reduce oven temperature to 325*, cover and continue braising for 3 hrs. Turn once during braising time. Remove from heat let rest for 20 minutes. Remove roast and slice into thick slabs, or pull apart in pieces. Wild Idea Brisket Once tried, this will become a favorite. The meat is so tender, flavorful and juicy. This makes fabulous BBQ, or shredded for sandwiches & enchiladas. Place heavy deep roasting pan rubbed with olive oil in 475* hot oven till heated Rub Brisket with olive oil, salt & pepper, and place …
Brat & Sausage Preparation
100% Buffalo Brats Plump &: Juicy! *Par-boil brats in beer for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from beer &: drizzle with olive oil. Grill over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Increase grilling time to 8 minutes if not par-boiled. Chorizo Sausage 100% Bison, plus organic spices to give it that chorizo flavor. Less fatty with great taste. Italian Buffalo Sausage 100% Bison, plus other organic seasonings for a real Italian taste. Use in all your favorite Italian dishes. Available in casing or in bulk. Buffalo Breakfast Sausage 100% Bison meat, plus other organic seasonings make this a sweet healthy breakfast meat alternative. Serve with real maple, or use in quiches or omelets.
Curry Marsala Stuffed Peppers
Stuffed Peppers just got better with Wild Idea’s 100% Grass-Fed Buffalo meat! Aromatic spices, blended with a touch of sweetness, are a wonderful compliment the buffalo meat. If the spice list is overwhelming, look for a Curry Marsala spice blend at you grocery. (serves 4 to 6) Ingredients: 1 teaspoon cardamom 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon coriander ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon cloves 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ sweet yellow onion, finely diced 1 organic apple: peeled, cored and diced 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/3 cup raisins (optional) 1 tablespoon molasses 4 to 6 small bell peppers: tops cut off, but reserved and seeded 1 pound Wild Idea ground bison or ground round bison Measure all spices in a bowl together and set aside. In sauté pan on stove top over medium high heat, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add apple and continue to sauté for another minute Add spices and stir to incorporate. Add raisins and molasses, stirring to release all spices from the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, and let come to room temperature. Crumble bison meat in a bowl, and add the onion mixture, and mix until incorporated. Divide meat mixture evenly between the bell peppers. Place peppers on baking sheet and place in 375* preheated oven. Bake stuffed peppers for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and serve stuffed peppers on a bed of aromatic rice. Wine Pairing: Estancia Estate Pinot Noir, Monterey, CA This is a medium bodied Pinot has a juicy fruit bouquet and flavor. It is well balanced, with a smooth finish, pairing nicely with flavorful dishes.
Curry Masala Bison Stuffed Peppers
After a delicious holiday filled with O’Brien Nog, Christmas cookies and homemade candies, it is time to once again go “on the wagon”. I have put myself on every wagon possible in an attempt to shed those extra holiday pounds, before they become permanent. Creating tasty, healthy meals is the best way to feel like you’re not sacrificing. The below recipe uses a lot of herbs, and is one way to turn ordinary into special. Enjoy! Jill
Savory Buffalo Sausage Stuffing
My mother’s recipe for our traditional, holiday stuffing, but improved with Wild idea’s Buffalo Chorizo Sausage. If a little splice is not for you, try it with Wild Idea’s Breakfast Sausage. Cheers! 2 – Tablespoons Butter 2 – Tablespoons Olive Oil 1 – 1 lb. Buffalo Chorizo Sausage 1 – Onion, diced 3 – Stalks Celery, sliced 2 – Teaspoons Dried Sage 2 – Teaspoons Dried Thyme 1 – Teaspoon Ground Fennel 1 – Teaspoon Salt 1 – Tablespoon Pepper 1 – 16oz. bag Herb Seasoned Stuffing 2 – Cups Organic Chicken Stock 1.) In heavy skillet over medium high heat, heat butter and olive oil. 2.) Crumble in Chorizo Sausage; add onion, celery and all of the dried seasonings. Sauté for 8 minutes. 3.) Add herbed stuffing and stir to incorporate. 4.) Slowly add you stock. Mixture should be moist and hold together. 5.) Transfer stuffing to a buttered casserole dish and bake in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes. Delicious with turkey, buffalo or just by itself! Wine Pairing: Beaujolais Nouveau 2009 – Burgundy Region, France. Made from the Gamay grapes, and produced to celebrate the end of the harvest. This new wine was made to drink right away. Look for its arrival the 3rd week of November.
Bacon & Buffalo Cheeseburgers
This Recipe was made for our dear friend Jim Harrison, who shares our love for a good bacon cheeseburger. (makes 6 to 8 burgers) Ingredients: 2 lbs. Ground buffalo Steak 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon mustard 1 teaspoon ketchup 1 teaspoon thyme 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 teaspoon salt & pepper 6 to 8 ounces Irish cheddar or good quality American cheddar 6 to 8 ounces happy bacon or Pancetta, pan fried 1 onion, sliced and sautéed lightly 6 to 8 hamburger buns or sour dough bread, lightly toasted 1.) Mix all spice ingredients, but Buffalo into paste. 2.) Add ground Buffalo and mix thoroughly together with hands. 3.) Pat into 6 or 8 patties, 1 inch thick. 4.) Grill buffalo burgers over high hot gas heat. Grill with lid closed for 2 minutes each side. Sprinkle cooked burgers with a finishing salt. 5.) Add cheese to cooked side, immediately after turning. 6.) Top with pan fried bacon or pancetta, and lightly sautéed onions. *It may be trendy to use different cheeses and exotic toppings on a burger, but there is nothing that replaces the classic. I have tried many cheeses for toppings and hands down cheddar is simply the best. Add your favorite condiments, but warm first. Wine Pairing: In honor of my memorable evening in Livingston MT. I choose a Chateau de Pez Saint Estephe 2002, Medoc Region France A Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Fran, Merlot & Verdot. Fruity and earthy to the nose with a hint of spice and tobacco, that carries through to the palate. Medium bodied with a rich fullness and a lingering finish.
Bison and Bulgur Wheat Cakes
Serves 8 or 16 starter courses Ingredients: ½ cup bulgur wheat ½ cup warm water 1 small onion, chopped 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon allspice ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 pound ground bison 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped + additional sprigs for garnish 1.) Place bulgur wheat and warm water in bowl, cover and let soften. About 1 hour. 2.) In food processor add onion and seasonings and mix. 3.) Add bison and process, adding 2 tablespoons of oil as it is processing. 4.) Add bulgur and mix in thoroughly. 5.) Add parsley and pulse process. 6.) Remove mixture and form into cakes. 7.) In sauté pan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and place half of the cakes in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes each side. Remove, and place on paper towel. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and cook the second batch. 8.) Serve the bison cakes on citrus butternut squash, drizzle with black bean gravy and garnish with parsley sprig. Citrus Butter-Nut Squash Serves 6 Ingredients: 1 Butter Nut Squash, halved and seeded ½ cup water 3 tablespoons basil olive oil ¼ cup orange juice concentrate 2 teaspoons salt 1 tablespoon black pepper ½ teaspoon cayenne 1.) In 375* preheated oven, pour water in baking pan and place squash skin side down in pan. 2.) Bake for 1 hour. 3.) Remove squash from skin and place in mixing bowl. 4.) Add remaining ingredients and mix well. 5.) Reheat in microwave. Black Bean Gravy Ingredients: 1 15 ounce can black beans 1 5 ounce can crushed tomatillos 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon lime juice 1.) In food processor mix all gravy ingredients and puree. This can be made ahead. 2.) When ready to use, heat gravy in a saucepan over low heat on stove. Gravy will darken as it heats. Wine Pairing: Seghesio – Sonoma County 2007, Zinfandel Fruit and berry aroma’s with a hint of spice. A nice balance of juicy fruits and integrated tannins give this wine a silky smooth finish.
Bison and Eggplant Parmesan Casserole
I have a new respect for eggplant… all it needed was a little boost of bison. Our recipe this month is easy to prepare and is a great make ahead meal for a casual holiday party or family dinner. I hope this becomes a favorite in your recipe box. Happy Cooking and Happy Holidays.