Glazed Chicken Shichimi, Black Rice Noodles

Locally pastured chicken breasts are skinned and boned, then dusted in rice flour and quickly shallow-fried in peanut oil until golden in color.  The chicken is then placed in a hot oven for  about 15 minutes, basted twice with a mixture of wild honey, fermented tamari, Shichimi tōgarashi and a pinch of sea salt.  The finished chicken is served over organic black rice noodles and topped with chopped peanuts.  The whole dish is gluten-free..

“Dating at least to the 17th century, Shichimi tōgarashi (Japanese: 七味唐辛子, “seven flavor chili pepper”) is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients:

coarsely ground red chili pepper (the main ingredient)
ground sansho (Sichuan pepper)
roasted orange peel
black sesame seed
white sesame seed
hemp seed
ground ginger
nori or aonori

Some recipes may substitute or supplement these with poppy seed, yuzu peel, rape seed or shiso.

Shichimi should be distinguished from ichimi togarashi (一味唐辛子), which is simply ground red chili pepper, and means literally “one flavor chili pepper” (ichi meaning “one”).”  –Wikipedia

Vegan Ras el Hanout Couscous with Roasted Vegetables

Organic couscous is simmered in homemade vegetable stock with Ras el Hanout until light and fluffy, then served with a medley of roasted carrots, onions, green and orange bell peppers and the season’s last ripe tomato. Topped with a dollop of harissa for a little kick..

Mac & Cheese with Smoked Ham and Roasted Poblano

Classic comfort food on cold and rainy day.

Organic macaroni, extra sharp Vermont white cheddar, extra sharp Wisconsin yellow cheddar, caramelized onions, heirloom garlic, smoked ham, roasted poblano peppers and local, pastured half & half.  Seasoned with sea salt, black pepper and Piment d’Espelette, topped with fresh breadcrumbs and baked until golden brown and bubbly..

Old Fashioned Split Pea Soup

Split green and yellow peas simmered in vegetable stock with smoked pork neck bones, garden carrots, onions, celery and green beans, fresh bay leaves, thyme, sea salt and black pepper.  Served with homemade croûtons and a dollop of crème fraîche..

For the Crème Fraîche

6 oz fresh heavy cream
2 oz cultured buttermilk

Gently heat heavy cream to 105 degrees (use a thermometer), then remove from heat and stir in buttermilk.  Transfer to a glass jar, cover with a napkin and allow to stand at room temperature until thick, about 24-36 hours.  Transfer to the refrigerator and age for 24 hours.  Use within 7-10 days.

For the Vegetable Stock (recipe adapted from Gourmet magazine)

1/2 lb portabella mushrooms, caps and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb shallots, left unpeeled, quartered
1 lb carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (including stems)
5 fresh thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves (not California)
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 qt water

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss together mushrooms, shallots, carrots, bell peppers, parsley and thyme sprigs, garlic, and oil in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast in middle of oven, turning occasionally, until vegetables are golden, 30 to 40 minutes.

Transfer vegetables with slotted spoon to a tall narrow 6-quart stockpot. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze pan by boiling over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Transfer to stockpot and add bay leaves, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Pour through a large fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and discarding solids, then season with salt and pepper. Skim off fat.  Use within 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

For the Soup

1 cup split green peas
1 cup split yellow peas
2 quarts homemade vegetable stock
1/2 pound smoked pork neck bones, meat attached
1-1/2 cups yellow onion, diced
1-1/2 cups celery with leaves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh green beans, coarsely chopped
1 cup carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons pastured butter
3 fresh bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Bring vegetable stock to a boil, add pork neck bones and bay, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, skimming occasionally.  Remove pork bones and allow to cool enough to handle. Add peas and thyme to the stock and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pull the meat from the pork bones, dice and add to the pot.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pan set over medium heat. Add carrots and cook until almost soft, about 5 minutes.  Add celery, onions, green beans and garlic, stir and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add to the pot, partially cover and simmer until the peas are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir lemon juice into soup to brighten, then season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.  Discard bay leaves.  Serve soup piping hot with croûtons and crème fraîche.

Smoked Pheasant Risotto with Field Mushrooms and Baby Asparagus

Bits and pieces of leftover smoked pheasant with onions, garlic, mushrooms, asparagus, Arborio rice, pheasant stock,  French vermouth, fresh herbs and lots of cracked pepper..

Smoked Pheasant Risotto with Field Mushrooms and Baby Asparagus

1/2 cup white onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1 cup French dry vermouth
1 bunch fresh herbs
5 cups pheasant stock, divided
2/3 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup fresh asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pound smoked pheasant, torn into small pieces
1 cup Arborio or Bomba rice
pieces of pheasant skin
pink peppercorns
aged Parmesan

Toast the onions in a dry skillet over medium heat until nicely browned.  Add the butter, olive oil and garlic, stir to combine and cook 1 minute.  Add the vermouth and scrape loose any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Allow the mixture to cook down until the liquid has been reduced to about 1/3 cup.

Add the rice, stir to combine and cook 2 minutes.  Add 3 cups stock and reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, toast the pieces of skin in a heavy skillet until the fat has rendered and the skin has begun to darken and crisp.  Transfer the skin to a cutting board and allow to cool enough to handle.  Chop the skin into small pieces, add to the rendered fat (add a little butter if there isn’t enough) along with the mushrooms and saute until golden.  Set aside.

Once the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, add another 1-1/2 cups of stock and simmer, stirring constantly, until half the liquid is absorbed.  Add the pheasant, mushroom mixture and asparagus and cook (again stirring constantly) until the asparagus is tender and the pheasant is warmed through.  Use the last 1/2 cup of stock if needed to prevent the pan from getting dry.  Season liberally with freshly-cracked pink pepper and taste for salt (although it usually doesn’t need any).

Turn the finished risotto out onto pre-warmed plates and finish with a little aged parmesan if desired.  Properly made risotto has a creamy texture and is wet enough to slide around the plate a little.

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In Texas, most pheasant hunting takes place in the 3 dozen or so northernmost counties (the Panhandle), where the next season runs December 3rd through January 1st.  Playa lake bottoms are a consistently productive location for both ducks and Ring-necked pheasant.