How To Cook Skunk

I thought that might get your attention. 

I've taken this recipe exactly from Wild Game Cook Book, created by as a fund raiser for the La Broquerie Riviera Seine River Wild Life Association founded in 1973. 

I can't find the year the book was printed and the contributors of the recipes aren't named. I might not be cooking the recipe in the near future but you never know when a camper might get lost in the woods or the producers of the wilderness survival show Naked and Afraid are looking for a new twist.

For now I am just sharing one page in the hopes that you

enjoy it as much as I do. But I also have another ulterior motive. It is to announce to the world that I have found my 

a second passion, (writing) and the excitement of discovering something new about yourself at this age, has been electrifying!

How To Cook A Skunk  (page 53)

And I quote:

Don't laugh! During the depression in the 1930's, rugged individualists who were too proud to accept welfare ate everything they could shoot or trap. They discovered, like their forefathers had done before them, that skunk meat was white, tender and tasty. It was also a favorite delicacy of the Indians. So don't knock it until you've tried it.

Roast Skunk

                                 1 c. clear soup (bouillon cube)

                                 2 sliced carrots

                                 1 tsp. onion juice

Dissolve 1 bouillon cube in 1 c. hot water. Skin, clean and remove the insides. Remove the scent glands. Parboil in salted water for 15 mins. Drain off the water. Then place the meat in fresh water and steam until tender, about 1 hr. Transfer to roasting pan and put in oven at 375 degrees. Add 1 c. clear soup (bouillon cube), 2 sliced carrots and 1 tsp. of onion juice and cook uncovered for 2 hrs.

**********

Hmm? I'm not sure exactly where the scent glands might be; though I have a fair idea.

Bon Appetite, My brave hunters and have fun until we meet again.

                                 

Vegetarian Chickpea Stew

Soak and prepare the dried chickpeas as instructed on the package. Canned are OK but by cooking up a pound package I had enough for this recipe as well as a batch of homemade hummus.

 

Serves 2

2 tablespoons olive oil  

½ large onion sliced

2 large carrots sliced

1 green bell pepper, quartered, seeds removed and sliced

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup Lite Coconut Milk

In a heavy large saucepan over medium high heat, warm the oil until hot but not smoking. Add the onion, carrots, and green pepper slices and cook over med-high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent.    

Sprinkle the parsley, curry, black pepper and salt over the mixture and stir quickly for a moment to enhance the flavor.

Add the coconut milk and one cup of cooked or canned chick peas (also called garbanzo beans). Stir to combine and bring the mixture back to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer this for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Serve with brown rice for a light, tasty vegetarian meal.

Caution:

People with GOUT may be advised to avoid dried peas and beans, as well as lentils and other legumes due to their high purine content. Purine increases levels of uric acid and therefore may precipitate a gout attack in some susceptible people. (Liver, sardines, processed meat, wine, and dried apricots also contain high levels of purine.)

Cranberry Bran Muffins

 Cranberry Bran Muffins

1 cup quick cooking oats  

½ cup All Bran cereal

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup boiling water

1 cup low-fat milk

1 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup dark brown sugar 

1 large egg  

 ¼ cup light canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

 1¼ cups all-purpose flour    

1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare the 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. (I’ve found the foil ones “release” the muffin better than the paper ones.)

In a bowl, combine the oats, bran cereal, and salt. Pour boiling water over and stir. Add milk and cranberries, stir and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and lemon peel. Stir into bran mixture.

 In a large bowl stir together flour and baking soda.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir just until blended. Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin pan.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out dry.

Cranberries contain a natural antibiotic substance that makes the bladder wall inhospitable to the organisms responsible for urinary tract infections. Commercial juice is often too diluted to be effective.  Making your own juice with fresh cranberries and apples is a great way to get all of the available vitamins, and bioflavonoids to support your good health.

 

Kiwi Marinated Beef Stew

Kiwi Marinated Beef Stew

Rather than simmering a stew for a longer period of time to tenderize the meat I like the reduced cooking time required for this recipe. The browning sauce suggested here was one my Grandmother used in her kitchen.

Serves 4

1 ripe kiwi                          

1 pound quality steak

1½ tablespoons olive oil  

1 cup diced onion

1 cup sliced carrots

1/3 cup diced celery 

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1½ cups of light beer

½ cup water

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon vinegar

¼ teaspoon thyme

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

8 ounces potatoes cubed

½ teaspoon browning sauce (Kitchen Bouquet)

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

To tenderize the steak vigorously rub the peeled Kiwi into both sides of the meat. Cut the meat into small bite-size pieces and refrigerate it for an hour.

In a heavy large saucepan over medium high heat, warm the oil until hot but not smoking. Brown the meat quickly and temporarily remove it from the pan. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms and cook over med-high heat, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent.    

Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir quickly for a moment until the flour disappears.

Add beer, water, mustard, thyme, and parsley. Stir to combine and bring the mixture back to a boil. Add the potato and beef. Reduce heat to low and simmer this until the potato is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the browning sauce, pepper and salt. Heat for another 2 minutes before serving.

Green Garden Pea Soup

I found this a pleasant change from the traditional dried split pea soup. Use croutons and a bit of shaved Parmesan as a garnish. Serve with a crusty roll and a salad.

Serves 4

 

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil  

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced celery

1 tablespoon flour

¾ cup diced carrots

4 cups fresh or frozen peas (thawed)

2 cups organic chicken broth

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup lowfat milk (2%)

 ¼ cup light sour cream

Optional:

Top the serving bowl with Shaved Parmesan Cheese and/or croutons

  

In a heavy large saucepan over medium high heat, warm the oil until hot but not smoking. Sauté onion and celery (3 to 4 min) until the onion is soft.   

Add the flour, stirring it for one minute.  Add the carrot, peas, broth, salt, sugar, and red and black pepper.  Bring the liquid back to a boil, reduce it to medium low, and simmer it for about 15 minutes (until the vegetables are tender).

In a blender or food processor, purée the veggies/broth mixture in batches and return it to the saucepan.

Stir in the milk and sour cream. Simmer the soup another 2 to 3 minutes.

 Serve, garnish, and enjoy!

Scallop and Shrimp Chowder

Coming soon!   Green Pea Soup

Fire the photographer! 

Due to technical difficulties I'm not able to show you a picture for the recipe below.

Scallop and Shrimp Chowder

This hearty soup made a wonderful meal served with a small salad and a wee dessert. (My delight was a piece of peach cheesecake.) As I have said before, “Variety IS the spice of life!”

This chowder is one of my favorite soups.

Serves 4

1½ tablespoons olive oil  

1 cup diced onion

½ cup diced celery

 ¼ teaspoon black pepper

3 cups organic chicken broth

1 bay leaf

4 small potatoes cubed   (2 cups)

¾ cup diced carrots

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup lowfat milk

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 pound sea scallops (halved if large)

½ pound shrimp (cut into small bite sized pieces)

¼ cup light sour cream

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

In a heavy large saucepan over medium high heat, warm the oil until hot but not smoking. Sauté onion, celery, and pepper until the onion is soft.   

Add the chicken broth and bay leaf.  Simmer the liquid covered for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

In a blender, purée the onion/broth mixture and return it to the pot.

Add the potatoes, carrots, red pepper flakes and salt. Bring the liquid back to a boil, reduce it to low and simmer it for about 12 minutes, (until the vegetables are tender)

In a small bowl, blend the milk and cornstarch and slowly stream it into the broth while stirring. Add the scallops and shrimp and simmer 3 or 4 minutes or until the seafood is cooked.

Return 1½ cups of the chowder to the blender.  Purée the mixture and return it to the cooking pot. This enhances both the color and flavor of the chowder.

Stir in the sour cream and lemon juice.  Enjoy!

Shrimp and Scallop Chowder

Quick and Savory Spaghetti and Meatballs

 Quick and Savory Spaghetti and Meatballs

I’ve been making homemade spaghetti sauce for years and believed it was necessary to simmer it for hours for the best taste. This recipe cuts that cooking time by about  66% and yet the taste is still superb.

When making this recipe for my granddaughter I put the diced tomatoes through the blender because she doesn’t like to see the pieces.

Serves 4

Meatballs

1 pound regular ground beef

¼ cup chopped parsley

¼ cup minced onion

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

 Sauce                                         

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of olive oil  

½ large onion, diced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

3 large cloves of garlic finely chopped

½ cup diced green bell pepper

 ½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried rosemary

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

 ¾ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1- 28 oz. can of Organic diced tomatoes 

8 ounces of spaghetti

2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

 Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

 In a medium bowl, mix together the beef, parsley, onion, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into small meatballs. Place the meatballs on a broiler rack and bake until cooked through about 10 minutes, turning once at halfway point.

In a heavy large saucepan over medium high heat, warm the oil until hot but not smoking. Sauté onion, mushrooms, garlic, and green pepper until the onion is soft. Stir in the basil, oregano, rosemary, and red pepper flakes, and heat it 30 seconds to enhance the flavor.

Add the tomatoes, salt, and sugar. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer on low for 20 minutes. Add the meatballs to the sauce and continue cooking as you prepare the pasta.

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and serve spaghetti topped with sauce, meatballs, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

 Enjoy!