Dear Wild Idea Buffalo Customers, About five years ago we received a call from Patagonia stating that they were interested in starting an environmentally sustainable food line for their future sister company, Patagonia Provisions. They were specifically interested in us making Buffalo Jerky for them. Because of our mutual, greater missions of sustainable foods and the environment as a whole, it looked like we might be a good fit. We were thrilled to gain their attention, but before we could get started there would be many visits from their team inspecting the way we treated the land, the animals, and our employee’s. We welcomed their visits, and gave tours of our ranching operations, explaining our grassland conservation efforts and prairie restoration practices. We discussed our goals of having an intact, healthy prairie eco-system that was rich in bio-diversity. We talked about how much carbon the grasses sequester and store safely in the ground. That grazing the grasslands regenerates the soil and produces healthy grassland pastures. Since we had a captive audience that was interested, we prattled on about species diversity, the microbes, the plants, and the variety of ground nesting birds that use the prairie to raise their young. They watched the buffalo roam and graze across the prairie, much like their ancestor’s did years ago. We explained our sourcing set up with other ranchers that raise their bison to our criteria, including neighboring Native American bison producers. They viewed our humane, stress free, field harvests, paying close attention to our care and respect for the animals. During other visits, they toured our processing plant and interviewed our employees. They reviewed our safety regulations and inspection documentation. And, they tasted our Wild Idea Buffalo products, raised on water, grass, and sunshine. We passed all of the requirements to move forward and started perfecting our Buffalo Jerky recipe. Patagonia Provisions provided scientific food experts, to consult with us along the way, insuring that the product would be as safe as it is healthy and delicious. The end result is a great tasting jerky! The sustainable food movement continues to grow because of people like you. People who care about the foods they eat, how it is raised, and the impact it has on our environment. But as the sustainable awareness grows, so will industrial agricultures powerful, hearty appetite. It will take all of us to keep them at bay and it will take all of us to introduce people to a new (old) way of thinking about food, and one that doesn’t come with an IOU. That’s why we are exhilarated and inspired to be associated with the good folks at Patagonia Provisions. If you get the chance, check out their site at patagoniaprovisions.com. Better yet, order some of their meaty, lightly seasoned, Buffalo Jerky! We want to thank you all for being grassland ambassadors, and for your past and continued support. Together, we can make a difference, one bite at a time. Very best from the prairie. Dan & Jill O’Brien
Steak Tartare – Korean Style (Yukhoe)
Wild Idea’s Ground Round, starts with 100% pure prairie grass-fed bison. The quality makes it the perfect main ingredient for any Tartare. In this recipe I’ve added some Asian seasoning for the Korean version of this dish, which is called Yukhoe. The Asian seasonings compliment the grass-fed bison nicely, but you could certainly change the seasonings for a Tartare creation of your own! Super good! Ingredients: (makes 2 to 3 entree servings or serve as an hors d’oeuvre) 8 – ounces Wild Idea’s 100% lean Ground Round 2 – green onions, finely chopped 1½ – teaspoons soy sauce 2 – teaspoons sesame oil 1 – garlic clove, minced 8 – cracked pepper turns 1 – Asian pear or pear 1 – tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice cucumber & sesame crackers Preparation: 1) Rinse the Ground Round under cold water and wrap with a paper towel to dry. Set aside. 2) Mix onions, soy, sesame oil, garlic, and pepper together in a bowl. 3) Quarter the pear and finely dice one quarter of it. Brush the remaining pear quarters with a little lemon and reserve for accompaniment, slicing just before serving. 4) Add diced pear and lemon juice to the spice mixture and stir to incorporate. 5) Crumble in the Wild Idea Ground Round and mix together with your hands. 6) Transfer to a mold or molds, pressing in to remove empty air pockets. 7) Invert onto plates or platter and serve with sliced cucumber and pear.
Pasta alla Carrettiera with Italian Buffalo Meatballs
Pasta alla Carrettiera with Italian Buffalo Meatballs (serves 4) This dish is named after the people who drove food and wine carts in Italy. It is a slightly spicy red sauce, with garlic and basil, and is typically served over a thicker style of pasta. My favorite rendition of this dish also had hints of parsley and mint, which made for lingering, memorable flavors. After a little research, and substituting a few of the more difficult to find ingredients with like alternatives, I thought I might be able to come close to duplicating it. The only thing missing was Wild Idea’s artisan, Italian Buffalo Sausage, and I knew just where to go for that. This simple dish is packed with flavor and very easy to prepare. The perfect solution, for a stress free, delicious dinner! Ingredients: 1 – 1 pound package Wild Idea Italian Buffalo Sausage 3 – tablespoons olive oil 3 – cloves garlic, about 1 tablespoon ½ – teaspoon chili flake, or pepperoncino (dried Italian chili pepper) ½ – cup basil, finely chopped 2 – tablespoons parsley, finely chopped 1 – tablespoon mint, finely chopped 1 – 28 ounce can whole *San Marzano Tomatoes, flash processed, *they’re the best 1 – teaspoon salt 2 – teaspoons sugar 1 – lemon, juiced, about ¼ cup 1 – cup freshly grated, Parmigiano Reggiano, or Porcini cheese 1 – 12 ounce box of Casarecce pasta, Pici pasta, or thick Spaghetti, cooked el dente, reserve 1 cup pasta water Preparation: 1) Divide Wild Idea Italian Buffalo sausage into 24 pieces and roll into meatballs. Pour one of the tablespoons of olive oil on a baking sheet and roll the meatballs in the oil. Cover and set-aside until you are ready to broil. 2) In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the remaining tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic, and toss or stir regularly, until tender, about 3 minutes. 3) Add the basil, parsley, and half of the mint to the pan. Sauté and stir for 1 minute. 4) Add the tomatoes, salt, sugar and lemon juice and stir to incorporate. Bring to a gentle boil, cook for 5 minutes and then add the remaining mint. *Sauce can be made ahead and reheated. 5) During step 4, or right before serving, place the prepped bison meatballs on the second rack from the top of a preheated broiler, and broil the meat balls for about 5 minutes or until nicely browned. 6) Simultaneously bring the reserved pasta water to a boil. Add the prepared pasta, and toss to reheat. 7) Drain pasta, transfer to a bowl and add ½ cup of the grated cheese. Toss to incorporate. 8) Place desired amounts of pasta on to plates and cover with ¾ cup or desired amount of sauce. Serve with the hot Italian Bison meatballs and garnish with remaining grated cheese and additional fresh herbs. Delizioso!
The Third Plate
If you haven’t yet read Dan Barber’s new book The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food, you should. This is not a book review but it needs to be said that Barber is a wonderful writer who can tell an important and complicated story as easily as chatting over dinner with old friends. The setup of the book is that three different “plates” can symbolize the evolution of food in America. The first is what many of us were raised on: meat and potatoes. The second plate is where we are now: more progressive ideas such as grass-fed, heirloom, and farm to table. The third “plate” is about serving up a delicious meal that “begins to reflect what the landscape can provide”. That is where Barber captured my attention – the place where “The Third Plate” merged with the philosophy of Wild Idea Buffalo Company. Though Barber admits to knowing nothing about the Great Plains, he includes the deterioration of grasslands on a list of ills brought about by a sick agricultural system – along with eroding soil, falling water tables, collapsing fisheries, and shrinking forests. He rightly connects the environmental crisis with the menus in white tablecloth restaurants and a food system that is more about the system than about the food it produces. The book is full of enlightening stories of the maiming effects to ecosystems from monocultures of corn and wheat and the assault on the ancient and sacred labyrinth of bio-diversity. Fighting these effects and the system that creates them are all imperatives that have shaped the evolution of Wild Idea Buffalo Company. Barber relates his efforts to fight these same effects at his Blue Hill Restaurant at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. At first glance Wild idea Buffalo Company – connected to many thousands of acres of remote buffalo country – has little in common with a supper-inventive, gourmet restaurant on an 80 acre farm dedicated to small scale, sustainable farming. But when you look closer, you find the missions of both to be very much the same. One of the memorable stories in the book is about the love and care taken by the livestock manager at Stone Barns farm when he moves the sheep from one pasture to the next. It mimicked the grazing pattern of our buffalo, except the buffalo make their own decisions about when to move. The fertility of New York sheep pastures must be thousands of times greater than our humble Great Plains, so it follows that instead of dealing with pastures of tens of thousands of acres the livestock manager at Stone Barns farm likely deals in football field sized pastures. The most notable similarity between Stone Barns farm’s moving of sheep and our moving of buffalo is the way the animals react to the fresh pasture – they love it, they need it, it is in their genes. The most notable dissimilarity is the fact that the fresh pasture at Stone Barn Farm is “managed by man”. The vegetative composition of the pastures at Stone Barns is likely a selection of annually planted tame grasses. Wild Idea pastures are mostly made up of the perennial, deep-rooted grasses evolved to thrive in drought conditions. In fact, what was left out of entire book, “The Third Plate”, was the realization that, in a few parts of the North American continent, there are places that remain, to a large extent, the way they were when Europeans first began to alter the environment. One of the stories in the book, that was news to me, was …
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.
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.
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.
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