I’m calling this morel-gasm. Basically, it’s creamed morels served in toasted, hollowed out rounds of brioche–Just think morel mini bread bowl. It’s ridiculously rich, a snap to make, and something you should give a shot if you’re a morel hunter. The inspiration came from reading one of Richard Olney’s books I’d been perusing for a…
Appetizers
Fried Frog Legs Marinated in Ramp Leaf Oil
A French club was coming in for dinner, and I was told they would expect escargot. The only problem was snails weren’t on the menu, and the party was coming in the next day. Fresh out of helix snails in cans, I gathered a party to excavate the deep freeze of the French concept/restaurant I…
Halibut Cheeks with Wild Peppermint, and Watercress
A few years ago I was reading a book on Venetian cooking when I came across something interesting: a dish of scallops cooked in a simple pan sauce with peppermint. Along with watercress and teeny nettles, peppermint is the first wild herb I start to see in the Midwest. The mint seems to cry for…
Lobster Mushroom Burbot with Crayfish Butter
Burbot was one of those interesting local fish, like sunnies, crappies and perch that were hard to source through fish purveyors, no one seemed to carry it. Eventually I got to try my first after someone was nice enough to grab me a couple packages from a fish shop up in Cumberland, Wisconsin. I knew…
Smoked Venison Ribs with Spicy Wild Plum Glaze
If you’re a hunter, and you throw away the ribs, all I have to say is you’re missing out, and you might consider taking them sometime, because they’re a helluva meal. As a chef, I never had time to hunt. Now, freelancing, consulting, and doing my own thing, I do have more time, and although…
Lactifluus Volemus with Shrimp, Smoked Paprika, Garlic and Parsley
One of the most noticeable things about Lactifluus volemus is their smell, a sort of strong, cheesy, crotchy aroma. Whatever you want to compare it to, it’s strong, and it’s noticeable, as long as the mushrooms are fresh. The smell fades as it cooks though, and transforms into delicious, nutty, mushroomyness. Here’s one of the…
Celtuce Slaw with Sunflower Dressing
Here’s a great, refreshing summer dish using one of my favorite, little-known vegetables: celtuce. I love celtuce shaved raw and quickly tossed with a little marinade similar to Japanese spinach gomae. The only difference with my dressing from the traditional sesame one, is that I use sunflower seeds, and a special virgin sunflower oil made…
Lotus Root Confit Stuffed with Sausage
Funky water tubers with their air-channels stuffed with sausage is my favorite go-to recipe with lotus root confit. The air channels are basically begging to be stuffed, and although you’ll need commercial, and not wild lotus root, unless you got some huge pond monster. It’s a great way to use these funky things, especially if…
Venison Breakfast Sausage with Wild Blueberries
Looking in the freezer I had sausage on my mind. Seeing a couple bags of wild blueberries I remembered a moment of fear I had one day picking berries in a remote spot, and seeing a picture one of my friends posted about bears being seen harvesting berries in the area I was in. I…
Lamb Sweetbreads with Fermented Nasturtium Capers
I’ve had a jar of fermented nasturtium capers burning a hole in my fridge from the 2018 growing season for a while, waiting for the perfect partner. This past week, the partner showed up in some fresh lamb sweetbreads. Sweetbreads can be a hard sell, and I get it, but in the scheme of organ…
Roasted Beets with Snowsweet Apples, Angelica and Dried Cranberry
Here’s a great alternative to the horrific Midwestern holiday salad of mayonaise, cool whip, fruit jelly and stuff I think is called ambrosia. Mayonaise, fruit jelly, and, nope, not for me, I’ve never liked the stuff. What I do like, is roasted beets, preferably dressed in a creamy something, along with crunchy apples and thick,…
Forager’s Aquavit
We’re all familiar with caraway seeds, but when I found my first patch of wild caraway, the first thing I did (besides making a traditional beef soup with wild caraway leaves and morels) was try to find a way to use the whole plant in something using the whole plant: leaves, roots, and unripe, green…
Buttercup Squash Ravioli with Hickory Nuts and Birch Syrup
One of the things I wanted to show off on a menu for a recent event was hickory nut oil. The dish changed a bit as I developed the flavors in the rest of the courses, but it seemed like the only place I could sneak the oil in, so I was resolved not to…