I’m not going to write a love song here the way I normally might about the virtues of wild greens. My love for them is stronger than ever, but in these strange times it feels more appropriate to cut to the chase. Chances are you’ve got bigger things on your mind than the omega fatty acid ratios in wild greens vs. cultivated ones—things like your health, your loved ones, your job, your future. I’ll save the sonnets for another day. In uncertain times we reach for comfort food, but at the risk ...

This article is among a series I’ve created focused on foraging wild spring greens. If you’re new to foraging, I encourage you to check out my other article on the topic, A Beginner’s Guide To Foraging Spring Greens. You may also enjoy my Wild Green Pesto recipe, something that has become a staple in my house. This particular recipe is adapted from one found in Pascal Baudar’s book, The New Wildcrafted Cuisine. I use this recipe as a base for most of my soups, stews and braises and in any ...

As COVID-19 wages war on civilization, a look into my chest freezer and the watering of my garden gives me hope and solace in a time of uncertainty. I do not consider myself a “prepper,” but I am certainly well prepared.  Over the last seven years, I have invested heavily in the process of procuring my own food. My hobbies of hunting, fly-fishing and gardening fill my freezer and the bellies of myself and loved ones. In times like these, my bounty eases my anxieties. This wasn’t always the ...

Venison Tartare with Truffle and Lemon Zest By Montana BHA Life Member Corey Ellis What You'll Need 10oz finely diced, raw, quality venison or antelope (backstrap, tenderloins or rump meat without any silver skin or fat) 3 brown anchovies rinsed and minced 2t capers rinsed 2T sweet or red onion finely chopped 2T Italian parsley chopped 1T Dijon or coarse ground mustard 1 large egg yolk 2t extra virgin olive oil 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce 1t salt 1t pepper ½ t truffle zest or oil 1 t ...

With turkey season quickly approaching but winter weather still holding on, I dream of mornings in the woods listening to gobbles breaking the silence of the pre-dawn darkness. Every year I save some turkey in my freezer until this time to remind me of – and to forestall my longing for – the hunts ahead. A wild turkey ragu over pasta is a welcome dish in my house any time of year, but it is especially inspiring now. This particular ragu recipe utilizes legs and wings – parts of the turkey ...

I don’t really have “four seasons” in my life; instead, I have duck, turkey, mushroom, fishing, berries and big game seasons. This abundance in the Pacific Northwest is rare; It is one of the only places in the world rich enough in wild food to support a sedentary society without agriculture. Think about that: tribes in the Northwest did not need agriculture to be self-supporting. Nor did they need to move. They could forage, hunt and fish for everything they needed.  The forager and the ...

If I had to pick between eating crappie and bluegill, I’d choose bluegill every time. I think crappie tastes bland, whereas bluegill are sweet and firm. The downside, this sunfish family member tends to grow on the smaller side. Bluegill fillets resemble “chips,” and few anglers venture beyond frying them because there’s not much else you can do. Those thin, small pieces can’t hold up to too much handling, let alone any amount of marinating. My solution, prepare and eat the fish whole on ...

I was introduced to carpaccio about a year ago while doing prep work in a commercial kitchen. At the time, we used beef eye of round from steamship rounds we butchered in house. This is an exceptional cut for carpaccio, but in the back of my mind I had a feeling that venison loin would be even better. It turns out I was right. Carpaccio first arrived on the culinary scene in 1950, dreamt up by Italian restaurateur Giuseppe Cipriani. Cipriani was the owner and founder of Harry’s Bar in ...

My mother always kept store-bought Vietnamese fish paste on hand. Sold in plastic containers, fish paste freezes well and its uses are versatile: Form the paste into balls and drop into boiling soup; shape into patties and fry; slice and serve over white rice, noodles or inside a bánh mì sandwich; or eat as a snack. A less obvious way to use fish paste is to stuff it into jalapenos and then sear them golden brown. Mom often called upon this recipe when she was too tired to cook a complicated ...

Whether a grizzled veteran hunter or relatively new to pursuing sustenance from the backcountry, we share a common desire for comradery and to impart our experiences to others. While some endeavors are best undertaken in solitude, the foundation of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation is reliant on the efforts of sportsmen and women in passing along their experiences to ensure the future of hunting, and thereby assure the continued support for our wild places and wild creatures. ...