Ingredients

• Ground venison and ground pork, in a 3-to-1 ratio [CP: I used 1 lb. / 1/3 lb.]
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons basil
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper
• Olive oil

Preparation

Sautee the onion until translucent, cool. Mix all ingredients. Sautee meatballs in olive oil, browning on 4 or so sides to make sure they’re cooked through. Serve with pasta. [CP: I did this with white wine cream sauce, and it was wonderful – reminiscent of all the good things about Swedish meatballs.]

T. Edward Nickens, Field and Stream

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 teaspoons minced shallots
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Melt butter in large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté 1 minute.

Add wine and cream; cook 12 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently.

Add salt and parsley. Season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to serving bowl.

Note: If you prepare sauce ahead and refrigerate, it will need to be reheated. Warm 2 ounces of cream in a saucepan and bring to simmer. Then add refrigerated cream sauce by whisking in slowly. Continue whisking until hot and bubbly; add 1 tablespoon butter to finish.

Organic Authority

Ingredients

• vegetable oil or oil spray
• 200g/7oz butter, softened
• 200g/7oz caster sugar
• 4 free-range eggs
• 140g/5oz plain flour
• 60g/2½oz cocoa powder
• pinch salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 400g/14oz plain, milk, or white chocolate cigarillos (about 75–80 in total)

For the buttercream

• 250g/9oz butter, softened
• 500g/1lb 2oz icing sugar
• 100g/3½oz good dark chocolate (at least 70 per cent cocoa solids), melted and slightly cooled

For the decoration

• fresh flowers, for a Christening cake
• strawberries or raspberries, for the girls
• figs, quartered, for the boys

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180/C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 20cm/8in round deep cake tin with baking paper and brush or spray with oil.

2. Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until they begin to go pale. Add half of the eggs and half of the flour and mix well. Add the rest of the eggs, flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder and beat for a minute or two until the mixture is uniform. Dollop into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 30–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin.

3. Meanwhile, make the buttercream: put the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and whisk together until the mixture goes fluffy. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and whisk for a further two minutes.

4. Once the cake is completely cool, remove it from the tin. Carefully cut the top flat with a large serrated knife. (Eat this bit as a chef’s perk!)

5. Turn the cake upside down on a 20cm/8in cake board so that the bottom now becomes a nice flat top. Split the cake horizontally and sandwich the top and bottom together with a 1cm/½in layer of buttercream.

6. Spread half of the remaining buttercream all over the top and sides of the cake, making it as smooth as possible. Put it in the fridge to set before doing another layer - this makes it much easier to get neat squared-off edges.

7. Gently push the cigarillos vertically onto the sides of the cake, positioning them as straight as possible and making sure they touch the bottom.

8. The next step is up to you - I can’t tell you the wide-eyed looks you’ll get when you walk into a room holding this finished cake. Serve with a self-satisfied grin.

BBC Food

Ingredients for Breadcrumbs

• 4 cups cubed, day old/stale Italian or French bread
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic - minced, or 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation for Breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the bread into 1 to 2 inch cubes. Place the cubed bread into a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, garlic, oregano and salt. Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil mixture, until all the bread is well coated. Place the seasoned bread cubes onto a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown, and crisp.

Ingredients

• 3-4 teaspoons minced garlic or 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon capers, drained
• 1 teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• 2-3 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped

Preparation

Place the garlic and anchovies into a mortar, and grind into a fine paste with a pestle. Add the capers, and mustard and continue grinding until a smooth paste is formed. Use a spatula to scrape the paste out of the mortar, and place it in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.

Place the egg in a large coffee mug, or other heat proof container. Pour boiling water over the egg, and let sit for 3 minutes. Drain the hot water off the egg, and cover with cold water. Whisk the coddled egg yolk into the mixing bowl with the other Caesar dressing ingredients (discard the egg white).

Slowly whisk in the olive oil, until well blended. The dressing should have a consistency which is just a bit thicker than heavy cream.

Add the Romaine lettuce to a large salad bowl. Toss with a bit of the Caesar salad dressing, then garnish with Parmesan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper and a few of the homemade breadcrumbs. The salad should be well coated, but not drowning, with dressing.

Cuisine Diva

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 c. thinly sliced shallots
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 3/4 lb. assorted greens (kale, Swiss chard), stems removed and thinly sliced, leaves chopped
• 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, stir 1 minute. Add greens stems, sautee for 4 minutes. Add leaves and cook, tossing often, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Add butter; toss until melted. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8.

Bon Appetit, 9/2011

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb. sugar snap peas, trimmed, stringed, cut in half on diagonal
• Kosher salt
• 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. (or more) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. sumac plus more for garnish
• 1 bunch radishes (about 6 oz.), trimmed, thinly sliced
• 4 oz. ricotta salata or feta, crumbled
• black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh mint

Preparation

Fill a large bowl with ice water; set aside. Cook peas in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain; transfer to bowl with ice water to cool. Drain peas; transfer to a kitchen-towel-lined baking sheet to dry.

Whisk oil, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, vinegar, and 1/2 tsp. sumac in a small bowl. Toss peas, radishes, and cheese in a large bowl. (Can make ahead, store dressing and salad separately.)

Add dressing to salad and toss to coat. Season salad with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish with mint and sprinkle with sumac.

Bon Appetit, 7/2011

Ingredients

• 1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 1 lg. zuchini (10 oz.)
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 c. medium-grind cornmeal

Preparation

Position a rack in the middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3" loaf pan.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until butter solids at bottom of pan turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Scrape butter into a medium bowl. Set aside and let cool. Whisk in eggs and buttermilk.

Trim zucchini ends. Thinly slice five 1/8" rounds from 1 end of zucchini and reserve for garnish. Coarsely grate remaining zucchini. Add to bowl with butter mixture and stir until well blended.

Sift both flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl. Whisk in cornmeal. Add zucchini mixture; fold just to blend (mixture will be very thick). Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top. Place reserved zucchini slices atop batter down center in a single layer.

Bake bread until golden and a tester inserted into center comes out clean, 55-65 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan; let cool completely on a wire rack.

Bon Appetit, 7/2011

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Shanghai-style noodles (cu mian) or udon
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 12 oz. ground pork
• salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp. chopped peeled ginger
• 3/4 c. chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp. (or less) chili oil [this is where to control the heat]
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. tahini
• 1 tsp. Szechuan peppercorns
• Pinch sugar
• 2 Tbsp. chopped roasted peanuts
• 2 Tbsp. thinly sliced scallions

Preparation

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water until just tender but still firm to the bite. Drain; transfer to a large bowl of ice water and let stand until cold. Drain well and divide between 2 bowls.

Heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add pork, season with salt and pepper, and stir, breaking up pork with a spoon, until halfway cooked, about 2 minutes. Add ginger; cook until pork is cooked through and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken stock and next 6 ingredients; simmer until sauce thickens, about 7 minutes. Pour pork mixture over noodles; garnish with peanuts and scallions.

Serves 2.

Peter Chang’s Tasty 2, via Bon Appetit

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup red wine
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• pinch of allspice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ small onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 venison steaks

Preparation

Marinate for at least 6 hours. Place on very hot grill, cook each side 2-3 minutes, placing careful attention not to overcook.

Arkansas Outdoors Online

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large red or white onion, quartered and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 bunch chard, leaves only, chopped
• Salt and freshly milled pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• 6 to 8 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme
• 1 cup grated Gruyère
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 10-inch skillet, add the onion, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely soft but not colored, about 15 minutes. Add the chard and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has cooked off and the chard is tender, about 15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, mash the garlic in a mortar with a few pinches of salt (or chop them finely together), then stir it into the eggs along with the herbs. Combine the chard mixture with the eggs and stir in the Gruyère and half the Parmesan.

Preheat the broiler. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and, when it’s hot, add the eggs. Give a stir and keep the heat at medium-high for about a minute, then turn it to low. Cook until the eggs are set but still a little moist on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining Parmesan and broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat, until browned.

Serve trouchia in the pan or slide it onto a serving dish and cut it into wedges. The gratinéed top and the golden bottom are equally presentable.

Epicurious: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone