Wild Game

Roast Snipe and Slow Days

When the weather is balmy and the ducks aren't flying, head to the bogs and look for the mystical snipe.

Essays and Stories

Canvasback, King of Ducks

Few foods have the mystique of the canvasback duck, and when I was lucky enough to shoot one last week, I decided to delve into this mystique and cooked King Can the way they did a century ago.

Essays and Stories

On Killing

Hunting season brings with it a flood of emotions. Elation when you succeed, frustration when you do not, and always a deep contemplation about what it means to kill for food.

Recipe

Braised Duck Legs with Leeks

'Tis the season for slow braises and duck hunting. I first posted this recipe back in 2007, but I've come a long way since then. Here is an updated, streamlined version.

Recipe

Wild Turkey Risotto

Today is a day for leftover turkey, domestic or wild. Whichever kind you ate yesterday, this risotto recipe is a great way to use leftover bits.

Greek

Greek Pheasant Pasta

I am always on the lookout for interesting pheasant recipes, and this one really caught my eye: It's from Michael Psilakis, one of the best Greek chefs in the country, and who happens to also be a hunter!

Venison

Sliced Venison Tongue Salad

I am a huge fan of offal, and this extends to venison. Here's an easy, non-threatening way to use a bit more of the deer you bring home. After all, who doesn't like a little tongue?

Recipe

Roast Hungarian Partridge

Never before have I hunted so long and so hard for so little. If there is a game bird more elusive than the Hungarian partridge in Montana, I've yet to meet it.

Recipe

Woodcock, Rejuvenation and Light

I can see light at the end of the tunnel. My book tour is nearly over, and I'm feeling good about the last week of events. So I was in a fine state of mind for a woodcock hunt in Michigan last week.

Recipe

Duck or Goose Ragu

Duck seasons are opening all over the country now, and this rich, bolognese-style pasta sauce is a great way to use legs and wings of wild ducks and geese.

Recipe

Grouse, Solitude and Solace

I hunted grouse in Minnesota last weekend, but did not shoot one. That's OK, because what I really needed in the Northwoods was quiet - and to escape the world within the comforts of cooking.

Spanish

Chilindron, Spanish Stew

Chilindron, a Spanish stew dominated by roasted red peppers, paprika and onions, is one of my favorite dishes. It's so versatile it works with almost any meat.