Wahoo for Wahoo!

Okay, so Wahoo isn't venison, but 1) a friend caught one while fishing for Marlin and 2) saying Wahoo is fun, and eating it is funner!

I had actually never heard of Wahoo before, but it is quite a delicacy. Since they're solitary swimmers, they're kind of hard to catch. Our fisherman friend told us people usually catch them by accident. But then they keep them because they are GOOD! Think fresh halibut...it's the same kind of mild steak. He was very gracious to give us four huge steaks.

I found a Wahoo recipe on e-zine articles. It was delicious! This would work with halibut, cod, or any mild deep sea fish.

Wahoo for Wahoo with Cuumber Salad
4 Wahoo steaks
2 tbs olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
juice of 2 limes
1.5 tbs paprika
1.5 tsp crushed red pepper

Trim the skin and dark red area at the top of the bone (I'm sure it has a name, but I don't know what it is...but it can taste gamey). Mix the oil, juices and spices together. Pour over fish and let marinate for 1/2 hour. Grill fish at medium heat...time depends one how big and thick the steaks are. Ours took about 5 minutes per side.

Serve with cucumber salad, which compliments the hot of the paprika.

Cucumber salad
2 cucumbers
1 tomato
2 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

peel cucumbers and slice thinly. Cut tomato in half and slice thinly. Put both in bowl and mix with oil, vinegar and spice. Let marinade for at least 2 hours before serving.

Easy Citrus Kabobs

Last night I had a pound of kabobs to cook and no energy to go to the grocery store and buy specific ingredients for a marinade. I did, however, have a lemon.

I've been on a kick to find light, summer recipes for the venison. When it's 90 degrees, a stew just doesn't work. This citrus marinade was very refreshing...the perfect taste for a hot summer night!

Venison Citrus Kabobs
1 lb venison, cubed for skewers
1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice (I only had one lemon, so I used lime juice)
1 lemon, sliced
1 small sweet onion, sliced

Put all ingredients in a baggie, mix, and marinade in refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours. Put meat on skewers and grill for about 2-3 minutes per side (cook to medium or medium rare, which doesn't take long with venison).

Yum. Very light and refreshing. I sauteed the onion slices in olive oil, which was a nice side to the meat, and served it all with rice.

Venison cooking web site coming soon

Exciting news...I will soon be moving this blog over to a new web site. The site is in development, but hopefully it will make finding recipes easier, and make it easier for people to submit recipes. It will also have other useful information. That's been taking up most of my time, which is why I haven't posted anything here in a while. But don't worry...I've still been cooking! I'm hoping to launch the site in early September...just in time for the start of hunting season.

Middle Eastern Stuffed Peppers

I love stuffed peppers...I've realized I don't really care what they're stuffed with!
I got this recipe from the May 2009 issue of Women's Health (a great magazine by the way), page 123.

Middle Eastern Stuffed Peppers
4 medium sweet bell peppers
1/2 lb ground venison
1 tsp olive oil (I used Spanish)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup sliced stuffed green olives
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
1 c precooked brown rice, heated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the tops off peppers, removing seeds and white membranes. Place in a baking pan.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet and brown the venison with the garlic, cinnamon, and cumin using medium heat. Add raisins and tomato sauce and cook until mixture is hot (about 3 minutes).

Remove skillet from heat and mix in rice and olives. Place equal amounts of mixture into each pepper and replace tops. Cover pan tightly with foil.

Bake until peppers are soft (about 15 minutes).

Makes 4 servings. 275 calories per serving.

Afghan Kabobs with Venison

I love Afghan food...there is something about the spices that just works for me. No surprise, then, that the traditional Afghan kabob recipe works beautifully with venison. I served the kabobs with brown basmati rice, and arugula salad, and nan bread, which Trader Joes sells in the frozen section. It was simple and delicious.

I found the recipe the recipe with a good old internet search, and modified it a little. The original recipe came http://www.afghan-network.net/Cooking/: "Sephardic Cooking" by Copeland Mark -- 600 Recipes Created in Exotic Sephardic Kitchens from Morocco to India -- Copyright 1992 Published by Donald I. Fine, Inc., New York, N.Y. D. Pileggi

Afghan Kabobs with Venison
Serves 6

2 lb boneless venison steak, cut into 1-in cubes
3 medium onions, quartered
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup cognac, arak, or dry red wine (I used wine)
water as needed


Mix spices and wine together and pour over venison and onion in bowl. Add enough water to cover meat. Marinate for 1 to 1-1/2 hrs. This distributes flavors & tenderizes meat. Put 4 pieces of lamb alternating w/onion quarters on each metal skewers. Grill for 5 to 7 mins, or to taste: rare, medium, or well-done. These can also be broiled.