Great Appetizers for Wild Game Feeds

Duck Camp Hors d’Oeuvres

No duck camp would be complete without a wild-game appetizer, and this is a great one. You can make it with duck, but it’s also excellent with pheasant, ruffed grouse, venison, mourning doves or just about any wild game.

Start by mixing up some seasoned flour. In a Ziploc bag, combine 1 cup of flour along with half a teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin and whatever else you want to toss in to spice it up.

Next, in a cast-iron skillet brown:

• 3 slices of bacon, diced

When the bacon is starting to soften and give off some fat, add:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar

Allow the onions to brown, then remove the onion and bacon to a plate. Dust the bite-sized chunks of the meat you’re using in the seasoned flour. The breast meat from one pheasant, two mallard-sized ducks or about a pound of venison will work. You could even mix and match.

Add to the skillet a tablespoon each of:

• Olive oil
• Margarine

Increase the heat and add the meat to the skillet. When the meat is thoroughly browned on all sides, remove it to a plate and deglaze the skillet by pouring a quarter of a cup of bourbon into skillet and scraping up the browned bits in the bottom with a spatula or wooden spoon.

When the bourbon has nearly evaporated, add two cups of stock, preferably a stock made from the meat you’re using. If you don’t have a homemade stock, use a cup each of canned chicken broth and low-sodium beef broth.

Bring the stock to a boil, then stir in refrigerated roux until thick. Roux is made by melting butter over a very low heat and stirring in an equal amount of flour until thoroughly mixed and starting to give off a nutty aroma. Place in a Ziploc container in the refrigerator until needed.

Once the sauce has thickened, reduce heat and return the meat, onions and bacon to the pan to reheat.

Spoon onto a platter and serve with crackers and cheese or garlic toast.

Crab-Fish Cakes with Butter Sauce

Here’s another appetizer that will get your next wild-game feed off to a roaring start.

Start by making some breadcrumbs. Trim the crust off a loaf of French bread, cut into slices and place in a 350-degree oven until crisp, then pop the slices into a food processor or blender to crumb.

In a small saute pan, combine:

• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced

When the garlic is fragrant, add:

• 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs

Cook the breadcrumbs, stirring, until brown.

Brush one fillet of about a two-pound fish with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place in an ovenproof baking dish covered with foil. Bake the fish until flaky, about 20 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine:

• 3 ounces of lump crabmeat
• 2 tablespoons of mayonaisse
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons of fresh-chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup of yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper
• Cajun season to taste
• The baked fish
• The browned breadcrumbs

Using a fork, mix the ingredients together, being careful to leave the crabmeat slightly stringy. Whip the egg whites from the two eggs until stiff and very gently fold into the crab-fish mixture.

Using your hands, roll the mixture into balls, then flatten into patties and dredge thoroughly in the rest of the breadcrumbs until coated on both sides.

Fry the cakes in peanut oil over medium heat until brown on both sides. To prepare the sauce, combine in a stainless steel saucepan:

• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white white
• a few drops of lemon juice

When the wine has disappeared, add:

• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Allow the cream to reduce by half, then turn off the heat and quickly whisk in a stick of unsalted butter, a few tablespoons at a time. If the pan gets too cold to melt the butter, return the burner to its lowest setting and continue to whisk briskly. If the pan gets too hot the butter will separate.

Strain the finished sauce into a glass container and discard the shallots, then use a spoon to stir in chopped fresh dill (dry will also work) and some lemon zest for flavor. Cover the container and keep in a warm place (on the stovetop) until ready to serve. If you make the sauce ahead of time, you’ll need to stir it occasionally.

Pour some sauce on a plate, top with a fish cake or two, garnish with fresh dill and serve. It makes a great appetizer or even a main dish. Use the best quality lump crabmeat you can find. About any fish will work, although I prefer walleye.