Wild Recipes

There are worse things in life than kicking back on the boat on a gorgeous spring morning while the downriggers troll a small squid bait in the vicinity of a kokanee school. Birds are nesting and singing. Trees and flowers are in full bloom, casting brilliant hues from the lake canyon walls. You notice a sizable blob appear on the depth-finder and prepare for the strike. Moments later, you reel up a kokanee, chrome-bright and destined for the cooler. You can already taste that bold blend of curry-like flavors, coriander, chili pepper, with a sharp hint of lime. Paired with a crisp rose or chardonnay, the complexity of flavors puts this recipe at the top of the list to share with friends and family, or not, as kokanee are a prize not to be squandered.

Dove season has come and dove recipes seem to be few and far between. On our last Harvesting Nature podcast about Grey Feathered Mini Missiles we talked about dove poppers and how they’re a goto for many but need to be elevated in a way to modernize them. We also talked about how several other recipes but the general consensus is that there aren’t many. One thing I’ve never seen is essentially “chicken fried” dove. Who doesn’t like crunching into a nice fried chicken? I figured I try a way to get the crunchiest fried dove by coating it in one of the crunchiest things around; Corn Nuts! Let me tell you this recipe doesn’t disappoint. So if you’re ready for a crunch and a new way to cook up some dove, this is the one for you!

Wood ducks are not only admired for their colors and beauty, but they are also one of the best tasting waterfowl. I love eating ducks as much as I love hunting them. My typical go to recipes includes either gumbo or seared blackened duck, but I wanted to add some smoke flavor to these delicious little birds and any fruity/tangy chutney always compliments the flavor of duck.