"Super Bowl" Sunday Menu

We don't like football.  I actually kind of hate it; I have my whole life.  I would rather watch 24 hours of Billy Mays infomercials than watch a football game.  I've always been like this, I can't help it.

I do love a "game day" menu though.  A few weeks ago, when all the TV specials about game day food were on, and the internet started spewing food lists, I began to craaaave junk foods.  I wanted all the fried mozzerella, wings, and dips my body could handle.  Well, I decided to take a bit of a healthier approach, and try some recipes I'd been eyeing for a while for a Firefly marathon.  It was entirely vegetarian, with several vegan dishes, but it was so hearty and delicious you couldn't possibly miss the meat.

BBQ Tofu Nachos--I didn't follow this recipe exactly, because I didn't feel like making another trip to the grocery story. (vegan if you don't add cheese)

Better Jalapeno Poppers-- Again, improvised with what I had, so my version wasn't this exact recipe.

Cauliflower "Wings" w/ Roasted Garlic & Feta Ranch--  I may start eating all my vegetables buffalo style.  I was leery about the ketchup addition to the wing sauce, but it somehow worked and is delicious.  I don't think I broke my califlower into large enough pieces.  They were really good, but a little overcooked following this recipe.  I wanted some crunch left.  Next time, I will probably do ten minutes and ten minutes (instead of 20 and 10.)  Depending on your wing sauce, the cauliflower is vegan.  (Ranch recipe tomorrow.)

Baked Veggie Eggrolls--Super simple and easy, vegan as long as your wrappers don't have egg.  (The ones I can find at my store all have egg, so it's just vegetarian.)  Recipe later this week.

Venison Pierogies

A couple weeks ago, my mom and I went on a pierogi making spree.  We made 4 different kinds and more than 150: dill havarti, pork and sauerkraut, bacon and cheddar, and venison.  They were all definite winners.  It's hard to pick a favorite because they are all unique.  If I had a food truck, it might be a pierogi truck.  Nashville would benefit from it.

Dough
5 C flour
16 oz sour cream*
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
3 Tbsp butter, melted 
1 tsp salt

   Combine everything except flour.  Add 4 1/2 C flour.  Incorporate.  (The dough probably will not form a ball on its own.)  Sprinkle 1/4 C flour on surface.  Turn out dough.  Sprinkle the last 1/4 C over the dough.  Knead dough until it comes together and is smooth (~3 minutes).  Add more flour if needed.  Divide dough into easily managed pieces (2-4).  Let rest at least 10 min. in refrigerator.
   On floured surface.  Carefully roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick.  Cut into 3 inch circles.  
   *Reduced fat sour cream works, but do not use fat free.

Venison Filling
~3/4 lb ground venison, cooked and seasoned with salt and pepper
8 oz porcini or button mushrooms, chopped
1/2 C diced onion
2 tsp minced garlic
~1 1/4 C stiff mashed potatoes
6 oz crumbled blue cheese

   Saute onion and mushrooms until onions are translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Combine all the filling ingredients.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
   Fill pierogies with about 2 Tbsp of mixture.  Seal into half moons.
   Boil until they float.  (At this point, you can freeze them.)
   Makes about 4 dozen.  (Serving size=4)
Finishing (for every 2 servings):
   1 medium onion, sliced.  Saute in butter or oil until soft and sweet, about 10-12 minutes.  Add pierogies, lightly brown on both sides and heat through.  Add about 1/4 C water and 2 Tbsp sour cream to make a sauce.  Sprinkle with parsley.   

Use this post as a more detailed reference. 
   

Venison Stew over Barley

Stew wasn't something I ate much growing up.  (Or now, really.)  However, it got cold here in Tennessee.  Very cold.  "Stupid cold," as many of us have taken to calling it.  I realize that it may not seem that frigid to people who spend most of their time north of the Mason-Dixon line, but we are not used to single digit temperatures in the South.  Stew was the obvious choice for an evening that threatened 1 degree.  And we had received an unexpected gift of venison from my sister-in-law.  We had just used up the last of our stash, and the deer have gone into hiding this year it seems.

I took a very, very simple approach to this.  I wavered on the edge of making a fancy French braised roast with rosemary and herbs de provence, but extreme simplicity won.  Sometimes I forget how delicious simple things can be.

This is also kind of surprisingly healthy.  I personally think of stews as fatty, gravy laden things.  Using venison (or bison, which is often more readily available) cuts out tons of fat!  I did use a little bit of butter at the end, but that could easily be cut out.  Then putting it over a whole grain instead of cream-heavy mashed potatoes or empty-calorie egg noodles boosts the nutrition and adds a really nice texture.

Venison Stew over Barley
~2 lb bone-in venison roast (or ~1.5 lb stew meat)
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
3 med carrots, cut into large chunks
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 pkt onion soup mix
1 tsp minced, dehydrated garlic
~4 C water
1 Tbsp butter
2 tsp flour
~1/3 sweet vermouth (can be replaced with water or stock)
salt, pepper, oil

   Salt and pepper the roast.  Over medium heat, sear the roast on all sides in a little bit of oil (~2 tsp).  Deglaze the pan with sweet vermouth, scrap up all the stuck on bits.
   Place roast in slow cooker, add the deglazed pan drippings.  Add vegetables, soup mix, garlic, and water to the slow cooker. (There should be enough water to not quite cover everything in the slow cooker).
   Cook on low for 10-12 hours.  (If you are using stew meat, it will probably only take 6-8 hours.)
   An hour before serving, sprinkle in flour and add butter.  Stir so there are no lumps of flour.  (I take the meat off the bone and remove the bone at this point.)
   Barley:  Bring 1 3/4 C water to a boil.  Add 1 C barley and 1/2 tsp salt.  Return water to a boil.  Stir, cover, and reduce heat to med-low/low.  Cook for ~40 minutes.
   Serves 4-6

Moroccan Spiced Chicken Fried Tofu

We've been cooking more and more tofu over the last few months.  I've gotten pretty good at cooking it, and it is cheap (less than $2/lb for organic.)  The most difficult thing is giving it enough time to press/drain.

A few weeks ago after a late night Muay Thai class (not where we usually go), we stopped at Whole Foods for dinner.  The nearest Whole Foods is 45 minutes away from us, so it was kind of a treat.  I saw chicken fried tofu at the hot bar and clearly had to try it.  Funny thing, I also had some simmered beef thing that was really good.  The sauce from the beef on the tofu was deeeelicious.  They should consider making it a new dish.

I became mildly obsessed with the idea of chicken fried tofu.  I had to make it.  And honestly, I think my version is better.  If only because mine wasn't sitting on the hot bar so it was still freshly crispy.  But the spice blend I used to season it is really good, so that helps too.  I do think their version is vegan, whereas mine is vegetarian.  Maybe I will come up with a vegan variation next time.

Moroccan Spiced Chicken Fried Tofu

1-1 lb block extra firm tofu

Moroccan Spice Blend

1 large egg

1/2 C buttermilk

about 3/4 C flour

about 1/2 C coarse ground cornmeal

salt and pepper

oil for frying (I used vegetable)

   Portion tofu into 4-6 slices, depending on how thick you want them.  I think 4 is best, cut from the long side of the block.  Place tofu between paper towels in a clean dish cloth.  Put a cutting board and something to weigh it down on top, a 28oz can of something works well.  Let press/drain for at least 45 minutes.*

   Liberally season with Moroccan spice blend.  The blend I have doesn't have a lot of salt, so I can coat things pretty well.  Just be careful with different brands.

   Combine egg and buttermilk.

   Combine flour and cornmeal.  Salt and pepper the flour mixture (about 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper).

   Coat tofu slices with flour, then egg mixture, then flour, egg, flour.

   Fry in a shallow pan w/ about 1/3 inch of oil heated over med/med-high heat for about 3 minutes on the first side and 2 on the second.  Drain on paper towels.

   Serves 4-6.

*Some people say it is better to press/drain the tofu, freeze it, then drain it again by placing it between paper towels while it is thawing.  I tried this technique and it did dry out well, but I think just pressing/draining it well the first time is good enough.

    

  

Venison Tenderloin w/ Walnut, Parmesan, Herb Crust

This little piece of meat terrified me.  No joke.  It is strange that a little over a pound of meat (2 tenderloins) has the power to reduce me to quivering procrastination.  Because venison has next to no fat, it can over cook in an instant. The second it gets a hair past medium, it is basically ruined.  Honestly, you don't really want to cook it past medium-rare.  I took a couple of deep breaths, relaxed, and took it easy.... and it couldn't have been more perfect.

If don't have venison tenderloin, this crust would be great on pork tenderloin, even beef or chicken.  It is earthy, bright, and fresh.



Venison Tenderloin w/ Walnut, Parmesan, Herb Crust
2 venison tenderloins (between 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 lbs)

sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 C freshly grated parmesan*
1/4 C walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 C chopped parsley
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lrg garlic clove, pasted
1 tsp dried rosemary
zest 1/2 lemon

   Combine parmesan, walnuts, herbs, garlic, lemon zest, and oil.
   Bring venison to room temp.  Liberally salt and pepper tenderloins.
   Heat a little oil over medium-hi heat in a large skillet.  Sear tenderloins on all sides.  It should not take more than 60-90 seconds per side. (I feel like small tenderloins have 3 sides.)
   Place tenderloins on a baking sheet.  Top with crust.  It will be loose, just press it down so it sits on top.
   400 deg F for 10 minutes for med-rare.
   Let it rest for 3-5 minutes.
   Serves 4.

Deer Beer Chili

This looks like an average bowl of chili.  But it is special.

Very, very special.

Deer.  Beer.  Chili.

Three awesome things combining to form an ultimate trifecta of kickass.

If you don't hunt or you don't want to spend an outrageous amount of money of farm-raised venison (which can sometimes be found at specialty grocers like Whole Foods), I suggest you make some friends with guns.

Venison is absolutely delicious and incredibly healthy.  It is low in fat and cholesterol, but has all the good health benefits of red meat.  Many processors will sell the fully broken down, packaged, and hard frozen animals to walk in customers if the hunter doesn't pick up the deer within a certain amount of time.  You just have to pay the processing fee, which generally ranges from about $65-$80; you get a lot of meat, so don't be dissuaded by that price.

Deer Beer Chili
1 lb ground venison
~1 Tbsp bacon fat (or oil)
1 med-lrg onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 lrg cloves garlic, minced
12 oz beer*
2 can diced tomatoes
2 cans beans, drained (I used one can of black beans and one of a tri-bean blend)
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ancho chili powder
3/4 tsp chipotle powder (optional, can sub 1/4 tsp cayenne for it)
3/4 tsp oregano (try to find Mexican oregano)
salt to taste

   In a large pot over medium heat, saute onion and bell pepper in bacon fat for about 5 minutes.  Add venison, break up the meat as it cooks.  When venison is about 3/4 cooked, add garlic and ~1/2 tsp salt.  Cook 1-2 minutes.  Add beer.  Simmer until beer is reduced by half.
   Add tomatoes, beans, chili powders and oregano.  Salt to taste.  Simmer covered for 30-45 minutes.  Uncover and simmer another 10-15 minutes.
   Serves 4-6

*Use a good, full-bodied beer that is fairly dark.  This is not the place for a lager, pilsner, or IPA.  I used Blackstone's Nut Brown Ale.

Venison Bourguignon

I was lucky enough to be given a venison roast a few weeks ago.  A guy I work with was cleaning out his freezer in preparation of this year's regular deer hunting season which opes very soon here in Tennessee.  He said he usually gives the roasts away after making some jerky and keeping only a couple for himself.  I was excited to receive any sort of venison since my husband and father-in-law haven't shot a deer in a few years even though they say they will every year....  They better get one in the next couple of weeks because we are planning on making this for Thanksgiving.

Venison Bourguignon
2 lb venison roast, cut into 3 or 4 pieces
3 slices thick cut bacon, chopped (4 regular)
1 lrg onion cut into wedges
3 lrg carrots cut into chunks
2 C + 1/2 C dry red wine (Pinot Noir, Merlot, etc.)
2-3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tsp herbs de Provence
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp butter, diced
~2 tsp flour
salt and pepper
oil

   Liberally salt and pepper meat.  Dust with flour.  Sear in a little oil over med-high heat.
   Place seared meat, bacon, vegetables, herbs, garlic, and 2 C wine in slow cooker*.  Cook on low for 8 hours. (High for ~4 hr).
   Add butter, 1/2 C red wine, and ~1 tsp flour to slow cooker.  Stir to melt butter and break up lumps of flour.  Cook on low another 1 1/2-2 hours.  (High ~45 min-1 hr.)
   Serves 6.

*You can add potatoes at the beginning of cooking and mushrooms when you add the butter if you would like.  I served it over mashed cauliflower so I didn't feel the need to add any starch to the pot, and my husband doesn't like mushrooms. =(

Beefalo and Roasted Pepper Chili

   It has been raining for the past 48 hours.  I love it!  I can't remember the last truly rainy day I've had.  There was maybe one in NC, there was a half rainy day when I first got back to TN, but this is true rain.  Grey, drizzly, and cool.  Our AC hasn't kicked on 24 hours.  Fabulous.  Cool weather to us means soup.  A week and a half ago we bought some beefalo stew meat at the local farmers' market.  The intent was to make chili it the whole time, but it was so hot and humid that we couldn't imagine having chili for dinner.  But yesterday posed the perfect opportunity.  To make it a little more special, I roasted some fresh local peppers and made bacon jack corn muffins (recipe tomorrow!)

Beefalo and Roasted Pepper Chili
1 lb beefalo stew meat, 1/2 inch cubes
1 lrg onion, diced
1 lrg red bell pepper
1 small green bell pepper (or 1/2 a lrg)
1 lrg New Mexico green chile*
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can red beans
1 14 oz can black beans, drained
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp red pepper flake (optional)
1 bay leaf
1/2 C water
oil, salt and pepper

   Set broiler to high and move oven rack close to top of oven.  Place bell peppers and chile under broiler.  Allow skin to char and turn black, rotate peppers as needed to skin is evenly charred.  When skin is fully black, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Let sit at least 10 minutes.  Peel skin off and remove seeds.  Finely dice peppers.
   Heat about 2 tsp of oil over med heat in a large pot.  Saute onions for 4-5 minutes, until soft. 
   Liberally salt and pepper meat, add to pot.  Sear meat well.  (It is ok for it to stick to the bottom a little.)
   Add spices and herbs, garlic and diced chile peppers with 1/4 C of water.  Scrape bottom of pot to remove any sticking bits.  Simmer for about 5 minutes.
   Add beans, tomatoes and last 1/4 C of water.  Turn heat up to med-hi, bring to a bubble.  Cover and turn down to med-low.  Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
   Uncover, turn heat to low.  Simmer another 45 minutes.
   Top with your favorite items:  scallions, cilantro, cheese, chips, etc.
   Serves 6.

*The New Mexico chile is a moderately hot variety.  It will not make your chili overly spicy; most of the heat comes from the red pepper flake.  But if you are wary of the heat, use a supermarket jalapeno.  (They are generally pretty mild.  A homegrown jalapeno will probably be hotter.)  If you can't find a New Mexico green chili but still want the warmth, try a serrano or two jalapenos.

Bleu Cheese Beefalo Burgers with Horseradish Sauce

   Beefalo?  Yes.  Beefalo.  It sounds like a crazy fantasy animal, but they are real!  Beefalo are fertile hybrids of American beef cattle (5/8 parts) and American bison (3/8 parts).  In middle Tennessee, if you happen to be driving down 96 and pass the wholesale and retail C&F Meat Co., you'll see what look like cows on some serious steroids.  Those are beefalo.

   The meat is moderately low in fat and cholesterol, about a third the amount in regular beef, and much lower in saturated fat.  Obviously, high in protein and iron, beefalo is also very high in vitamin B12 (more than 100% DV!)  While bison does taste slightly different than beef, the flavor of beefalo is pretty much the same.  Personally, I find that it tastes more like beef than beef if we are considering the ground meat.  I find that ground beef can have a tinny taste because of the extra blood many butchers add into the meat to make it that nice, bright red.  (For more information on beefalo, visit the sites at the bottom of the post.)

   This recipe is really easy.  Ridiculously easy in fact and kind of neat because you are stuffing a burger.  (I can't claim this technique as original... I think Rachael Ray was the pioneer of stuffing burgers.)  The same process can be done with any ground meat.  And the horseradish sauce is great for a variety of dishes.

Bleu Cheese Beefalo Burgers
1 lb ground beefalo
4 oz bleu cheese, crumbled*
~1 Tbsp steak grill seasoning

   Divide meat into four equal portions.  Divide each of those in half.  For each burger, press the two portions of meat into equal sized patties.  These patties will be very thin, be careful not to break them or have any holes.  Place 1 oz of cheese in the center of 4 patties, leave a small border.  Place another patty on top and press the edges together to seal.  Sprinkle each side with grill seasoning or just salt and pepper.
   Grill over direct medium heat for 5 min a side.
OR
   Heat a small amount of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook 4-5 min per side.
   Serve on your favorite bun with horseradish sauce and baby spinach.  4 Servings.

Horseradish Sauce
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp deli style or stone ground mustard
2-3 tsp horseradish (the real grated kind, not the pre-made sauce)

Combine all ingredients.  About 4 servings.

More Information and Where to Order/Buy Beefalo:
American Beefalo Association
Beefalo Meats
Nebraska's Finest
C & F Meat Co. (Does not ship; Mid TN retail location)

Moroccan Goat Curry

  Don't be afraid of goat!  Please try it.  The meat has a distinct yet mild flavor.  It is lean with about 10 g of fat per pound, and only 3 g of saturated fat.  That is less than half of the saturated fat of an equivalent cut of beef. packed with great protein.  It has more protein than the average beef steak you buy in the grocery store.

Moroccan Goat Curry
1 lb goat steak, cut into 1" pieces.
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
2 C chicken or beef broth
1/4 C raisins
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp clove
1/4 tsp cardamon
1 Tbsp goat cheese (optional)
oil, salt, pepper

In a large, deep skillet brown goat pieces in oil over medium-high heat. (If the cut has bones, brown those too!  Bones=flavor)  Remove goat, reduce heat to medium. Saute onions for 3-4 minutes.  Add tomatoes, garlic, ginger and broth.  Add all powdered/ground spices and a little bit of salt and pepper.  Bring to boil, reduce to simmer.  Return goat pieces to broth.  Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 hour.  (Or until pieces feel tender.)  Add sweet potatoes and raisins.  Cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender.)  To add a touch of creaminess and richness, stir in goat cheese (optional).  Serve over rice that has been cooked with 1 bay leaf, 1 star anise, and 1 small cinnamon stick.
4 servings.
*Beef or lamb could be used with this, but cooking times will be very different.

Not the most appetizing picture, but I was so excited I couldn't wait to make a pretty plate to take a picture.

For more information on goat and to purchase meat here are a few websites:

Tennessee Dept. of Agriculture

USDA Goat Meat 

GoatMeats.com

Bison with Coffee Chili Dry Rub

   I love bison.  It is incredibly lean (a quarter of the fat of regular beef, which also means it has a lot less saturated fat), has less than half the cholesterol of regular beef, and is packed with protein.  Like all red meat, bison is high in iron, but it also contains a significant amount of vitamins B6, B12, and niacin.  If you love beef, bison is a great (healthier) alternative.  And don't be scared of it!  Even though bison is considered "game", the meat that you buy in the store has been domestically raised.  There is absolutely no tinny "game" flavor.  In fact, the meat is incredibly mild, which you would never guess considering the red-black hue of the raw state.

This dry rub has a pronounced flavor, but is not over-powering.  It is great for red meat and heartier cuts of pork.  If you want a stronger flavor add more chili powder and garlic and add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and 1 tsp cumin.  (I wouldn't recommend the stronger version for bison.)  The proportions I have in this recipe are enough for 1 1/2 lbs of meat (up to 2 lbs if you like a mild flavor.)

Coffee Chili Dry Rub
3/4 tsp instant espresso powder
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Thoroughly combine ingredients, make sure there are no lumps.  Pat meat dry.  Rub meat liberally with mixture.  Let meat sit for 15 min.  Lightly rub with olive oil before cooking.  Cook meat.

For bison (steak cuts), grill over medium heat (direct).  For 1 inch steak it will be 3-4 minutes a side for medium-rare.  For a 2 inch steak, 6-8 minutes a side for medium rare.

For more information on bison meat:
http://www.bisonbasics.com
http://www.elkusa.com/buffalo_meat