Fennel and Chili Crusted Elk Jerky

Been making lots of jerky lately. I make large batches at a time, multiple flavors and use different kind of meats. The concept I use is very simple. I weigh the meat I'm using. Calculate out 2% salt. Add spices of the day, in this case, roasted fennel seeds, smoked paprika, espelette chili, black pepper, garlic granules and onion powder. Rub into the meat well and marinate overnight. Lay in dehydrator or smoker depending on flavor, and dry.

I like my jerky on the chewy side, so I do not dry till it snaps. Takes a while to get used to when to pull it out. It hardens a little more when it comes out of the cooker so pulling it at the right time is crucial. I'm happy with this combination of spices with the elk, marries well with the gamey love.

Bison, Truffles and Morel Mushroom Pakoras

Had a chance to have some more bison tenderloin. Also still had some black truffle butter, so I decided they should get to know each other a little better. This was a good decision. I love low temp cooking. Gives you the freedom to do what ever in the kitchen, and not have to worry about perfecting the meat. The meat of course comes out perfect every time. This technique works especially well for game meat or anything that is really lean and partial to over cooking. Lined some fresh black truffle butter along the top of the bison tenderloin and vacuumed packed it.

Cooked it at 132f for 4 hours in my ghetto love water oven :) Prepared the morel mushroom pakoras and sweet potatoes at this point.

Seasoned it with salt and pepper and seared it off in pork fat.

Picked some fresh mint from my window and pulled out some mustard apple chutney for the pakoras. Sliced some more truffle butter for the bison.

Dessert was a random, but delicious. Made some molasses thumbprint cookies. Filled them with birch syrup and topped with dark chocolate, cranberries and almonds

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Spicy Salami And The Dog

Cut down the spicy salami I had started a few weeks ago. These are the sausages that survived a dog theft when I was making them. I had them in my kitchen air drying for a few hours, before I put them in the dry room. I heard something rustling around, I got up, went to the kitchen, to find a crime taking place. The small dog was franticly trying to get as many sausages outside to his little stash as he could before being caught. I would have to say, he did pretty well. He took 50% of the sausages in the end. Little shit!!!!! hahaha So the photo above is what I ended up with in the end. Guess I should of had my door securely latched! Salami is tasty by the way! :)

Moose sausage gift packs for hungry friends and family

Sleepy Days

Been pretty lazy the last couple weeks. Doing more baking than anything. Eating sourdough, basically twice a day. Think I have my loaf dialed in! Got some salami on the go and just finished some really good dry cured bacon chops. Published a few more articles in the ole paper. Some good recipes worth checking out for sure. I added the links below, let me know what you think. :)

Happy sourdough starter, well maybe a little sad, but still happy enough to work with me!

The secret sourdough recipe in action. Plenty of flax, wheat germ and whole grains involved here!
There she blows, in all of her splendor. Hail ye, to the sourdough gods of the Yukon....Jeez long winter may be setting in! lol

My Bacon Chop----> http://www.whatsupyukon.com/index.php/component/content/article/232-march-10-2011/2809-the-cutting-board-mysteries-of-the-bacon-chop.html

My Korean Belly----> http://www.whatsupyukon.com/index.php/component/content/article/230-february-24-2011/2781-the-cutting-board-my-korean-belly.html

Date and Almond Cake----> http://www.whatsupyukon.com/index.php/component/content/article/228-february-10-2011/2743-the-cutting-board-smiling-bears-keep-me-awake.html

A Few Of My Favorites

Here are a few of my favorite books to read for inspiration and ideas. In no particular order. Although, I don't generally use recipes, I still base alot of my creative drive from recipes old and new.

From top to bottom

• The River Cottage Meat Book 2004, Hugh Fearnley Whittinstall {Long time mentor of mine, Hugh explains the fundamentals of meat cookery, along with some great recipes}

• Au Pied De Cochon 2008, Martin Picard {Picard sets the bar in Canada for festive heritage cuisine. Specializing in pork and foie gras. Just buy it!}

• Casa Moro 2004, Sam&Sam Clark { An amazing collection of Spanish food recipes. Very inspiring.}

• Wild Fermentation 2003, Sandor Ellix Kats {Plow threw the boring story telling of the life of the author, and dig into the tome of amazing recipes for everything fermented. I love this book!}

• The Whole Beast: Nose to tail eating 2004, Fergus Henderson {This book I have read so much, and cooked almost everything in it from front to back}

• Innards And Other Varity Meats 1975, Allen/Gin { A wealth of knowledge and wisdom regarding everything guts related!! LOVE IT!!!}

• Varity Meats 1982, The editors of time life magazine {This is a book of techniques and recipes for offal. Very informative and incomparable. Highly recommended if you you cook the whole beast.}

• Charcuterie and French Pork Cookery 1967, Jane Grigson {A book of everything pork, from sausages, brawn to meatballs. Read front to back many times}

• The Early Canadian Gult Cookbook 1898, The ladies of Gault {A great book of family recipes that Canadians have been using for more than 100 years. Great preserving ideas and baking recipes}

• Notes From A Country Kitchen 1979, Jocasta Innes { How to brine, brew, salt, smoke, pot, press, pickle and preserve- all in your own kitchen. A true roots cooking book. Great illustrations and artwork. Still one of the best gingerbread cakes Ive ever made comes from this book}

• America Cooks, Favorite Recipes from the 48 states 1948, The Browns {This is one amazing book that truly has it all, from deep southern cooking to making smithfield hams. There is 19 recipes for chowder alone!!! This book truly rocks my world!}

• Charcuterie 2005, Ruhlman/poleyn {A great book to get you going into the art of meat preservation. Very clear recipes that work. The breakfast sausage rules!!}

Above: table of contents from "Innards and other varity meats" Love it!!

The restaurant came to my home last night!

Had dinner in last night, as our dinning options here are quite limited. We also wanted to avoid all the Valentines hype. Its fun planning and cooking a menu in your own home for a special occasion. If you do most of the work ahead, you don't have to spend the night cooking either. The longest thing I had to cook, was the Porcini risotto, which took 20minutes. Just enough time for short wine break. I copied the menu I cooked for your viewing pleasure!! lol

Cold Smoked Wild Sockeye Salmon

Blood orange, olive oil

Pacific White Shrimp

Kobocha squash, smoked paprika

Kluane Porcini

Swiss mountain cheese, risotto

Ancho Chili Crusted Organic Beef Strip Loin

Cornmeal crusted Pacific oysters, roasted fennel, remoulatde

Sourdough Bread Pudding

Dates, pecans, chocolate

One of my favorite combinations. Savory smoked salmon, bitter olive oil, sweet blood orange and mint

Spicy and smokey paprika, pacific white shrimp, creamy kobocha squash, Berkshire bacon and a touch of agave nectar

Definitely my favorite risotto in the world to eat. Ive found a way to perfectly preserve porcini and other boletes with out changing there texture or flavor. Proof is in this risotto. The mushrooms were picked in Haines Junction last July!!



Very simple but delicious surf and turf. Cornmeal fried oyster, sous vide organic beef strip loin, roasted fennel and celery seed remoulade. Yes I'm eating poyboys for lunch tomorrow! ;)



Last was a bread pudding made with a rye sourdough, I made earlier in the week. We eat dates almost everyday in my house, so to throw some in was a given. Bourbon custard, pecans, chocolate and buttermilk caramel. Soo good! I love buttermilk!

Apple Bread....Do it!!

This is a amazing loaf to have in your repertoire. Its a nice alternative to banana bread, and the smell in your house while its cooking will drive you slightly nuts! It can easily be made into a nice dessert by caramelizing some apples and laying them on top with a scoop of ice cream. This recipe is more than 70 years old!

Apple Bread

yield: 1 large loaf

• 1.5 cup shredded granny smith or other tart cooking apple
• 3/4 cup chopped dates (I use Iranian or medjool dates)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans and walnuts
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar or 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 cup buttermilk or yogurt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350f. Have all ingredients ready to go. Chop nuts and dates. Peel and shred apples
2. Cream together butter and sugar till light and fluffy
3. Add the beaten egg and blend till smooth
4. Add the apples, nuts and dates
5. Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk/yogurt a little of each at a time
6. Place into a parchment or wax paper lined loaf pan of your choice
7. Let stand for 10 minutes
8. Bake until done and a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. About a hour
9. Leave in pan overnight before slicing if you can!

I spent a day last week, processing a few salmon I had in my freezer. Smoked and canned 8 pints worth of wild coho and Chinook salmon!

This photo was taking just outside gravel lake on the north Klondike highway. I love the Yukon winters!