Venison
Forget hams and turkeys for Christmas. Roast a leg of venison instead. If you have a whole hind leg of a doe or small deer, this is a perfect recipe for the holidays. It's a lot like roasting a leg of lamb.
Foraging
Cranberry sauce has been part of the American holiday tradition for more than two centuries. It is a perfect accompaniment to roast turkey or venison, pork, wild boar or bear. And while this is a pretty classic recipe, it is made with real wild cranberries from New England.
Recipe
Wiener schnitzel goes by many names, but whatever you call it, this is a bedrock recipe you need to know as a cook, whether you work with wild game or not. It's quick comfort food that can be made with an array of meats, ranging from pheasant and wild boar to veal, pork or chicken.
Mushrooms
Matsutake mushrooms are popping all over California's North Coast now. If you've never heard of them, matsutakes are one of the most prized mushrooms in Asia. Firm and clean-tasting, they have a beguiling aroma - like earthy cinnamon.
Wild Game
If there is one sauce you need to know as a wild game cook, it is Cumberland sauce. Savory, rich and a little sweet, it is a classic sauce for venison, duck, goose or any dark game meat. Learn this sauce by heart and you'll never go wrong.
Sweet Things
Snowball cookies were my favorite Christmas cookie when I was growing up. My mum made them with regular walnuts, but my rendition of this classic cookie uses wild black walnuts, plus a little orange liqueur.
Pheasant, Grouse, Quail
There are a few must-have dishes in Chinese-American cuisine. General Tso's chicken is one of them. Eating a plate of this is like eating crack: You will find yourself doing whatever it takes to eat more. You have been warned...
Recipe
Hasenpfeffer. It is an iconic German dish that few have ever eaten in the traditional way. For to be a true hasenpfeffer, you need a "hase," or hare. And while it's still good with rabbit, don't skip the semolina dumplings or you'll be sad.
Mushrooms
The common meadow mushroom has not been so common for me; I'd searched in vain for years to find them. Until last week, when Holly came home with a bushel of the mushrooms we call "pinks." I cooked them up using a classic Escoffier recipe, and lemme tell ya: It was worth the wait.
Pheasant, Grouse, Quail
Done right, smoked pheasant can be the finest expression of this bird at the table. Smokey, juicy and a little sweet from a maple glaze, it's a lot like those smoked turkeys you can buy for the holidays -- only with fewer leftovers. Here's how to do it.
Recipe
If you're having a quiet Thanksgiving, maybe just the two of you, you don't need a whole turkey. Instead, gently poach the turkey breast and serve it with a rich gravy made from turkey wings. And while I used wild turkey, any ole' gobbler will work.
Preservation Recipes
We're heading into Tuber Time, and one of my favorites are jerusalem artichokes, which are native to North America. Although these tubers will keep for months in the fridge, the best way to preserve them long-term is to pickle them. I've been making this recipe for years, and I am pretty proud of it.
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