German Fish Balls with Green Sauce
Fish meatballs! What’s not to love? This is a German version, doable with pretty much any fish that swims, and it’s served with a bright, herby green sauce that is traditional in Hesse. Remember the Hessians from the War of Independence? That’s them.
Venison Tartare
Beef or venison tartare is the “trust fall” of the culinary world: Raw meat and a raw egg yolk. If your ingredients are not impeccable, things can go very, very wrong. But done right, this is at once a primal and exciting little appetizer.
Swedish Spring Salmon with Vattlingon and Peas
Behold, one of the most vividly beautiful recipes I’ve made in a long time. Salmon Swedish style, with vattlingon. It screams Christmas, right? Wrong. This dish can only be made in springtime. Read more to find out why…
Duck Breast with Turnips and Rye Spaetzle
This is my version of a dish I had at Perbacco in San Francisco a few weeks ago. It’s so simple, but is a great combination. And if you’ve never made homemade spaetzle, it’s easier than you think.
Food Plot Venison Stew
There is a cook’s maxim that goes something like, “if it grows together it goes together.” Well, this venison stew puts that into practice. Almost everything in this stew can be found in commercial deer “food plot” seed mixes. Shoot the deer, and serve it with the field you shot it in.
Partridges with Cranberries and Rosemary
This dish, inspired by Swedish chef Magnus Nilsson of Faviken, is nothing short of a revelation in its simplicity and in the technique of cooking the partridges. If you are an upland bird hunter, or like to eat Cornish hens or quail, you must read this.
Homemade Polish Kielbasa
Few sausages are as iconic as Polish kielbasa. There are as many variations as there are cooks — even an official government-approved recipe, which I used as my inspiration. This one is pure smoky awesomeness.
Kabanosy, the World’s Greatest Slim Jim
I could eat these all day long. Tangy, smoky and addicting, kabanosy, a Polish smoked meat stick, is what a Slim Jim dreams about when it sleeps at night. You want to make these. Now.
Polish Salted Mushrooms
I’d always been leery of the Slavic style of salt-pickled mushrooms. But I finally took the plunge and fermented my mushrooms Polish style, and damn but they’re good — especially with some rye bread and lots of vodka…
Smoked Goose Breast
Behold the glory that is spickgans, a Pomeranian smoked goose breast that is at the pinnacle of German charcuterie. Goose, cured with juniper and black pepper and smoked over beech, oak or apple wood. The secret is in the shape, which makes it a delight to eat.
