Simple cooking with the simple ingredients and easy technique can make for an extraordinary and flavorful meal. It’s a winning combination for anyone who enjoys wild game cuisine. Prep time took me just under 15 minutes and the cook time to plating time was another 15 minutes in total.

I suppose you could call this Wild Game Cuisine in 30 minutes flat!

Elk or Venison steaks with mushrooms and mustard Marsala sauce
INGREDIENTS

• 6 – 1/4inch thick elk or venison steaks
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup diced white onion
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• ¼ cup Marsala wine
• Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
1) Take steaks and rub a light coat of olive oil on both sides. Add fresh cracked pepper, kosher salt and set aside for 30 minutes to be sure to bring to room temperature.

2) Heat cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, sear the elk steaks for about 1-2 minutes on one side. Turn steaks and cook another 1-2 minutes. Steaks will be medium rare. Remove from heat and allow resting for 3-5 minutes. (It is very important to try not to overcook your wild game. While your game rests – it will continue to cook. Thicker pieces of meat will need more time to cook but thinner slices need much less.)

3) Add butter to the cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and sliced mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes being sure to turn so not to burn. Add 1tablespoon Dijon mustard and ¼ cup Marsala wine to onions and mushrooms.  Turn heat to low and simmer for another 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.

4) Plate your elk or venison steaks and top with a heaping spoonful of mushroom marsala sauce. Add a few slices of crusty French bread or whole grain bread and enjoy!

Tomato, Cucumber and Avocado Salad — Simple is good.
Chop your tomato, cucumber and avocado, add 1 tablespoon of good olive oil, salt and pepper, stir and then serve.

• 2-3 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 avocado

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I found this amazing recipe for Lasagna using diced chili’s to spice things up a bit… so I thought why not take the offbeat approach to a classic dish and seriously take it to the next level.

I roasted my own green chilies over the burner in the kitchen and I used all fresh ingredients from local growers. I also decided not to use any salt since we were using sausage… and all low fat or non fat cheeses. The end product was more than mouth watering with a minor kick per every bite.

INGREDIENTS

• 2lbs Italian elk sausage or elk burger
• 16 oz lasagna noodles (cooked)
• 3 large roasted chilies (diced)
• 1 large shallot (diced)
• 1 large yellow onion (diced)
• 2 large tomatoes (chopped)
• 1-14.5 oz tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil (chopped)
• ½ cup cilantro (chopped)
• 2 eggs
• 1-15oz fat free ricotta
• ½ cup reduced fat parmesan cheese
• 2 cups low fat mozzarella cheese
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350.

1) Heat heavy stock pot on medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, chopped shallots, garlic and onion. Cook until onions become soft and translucent. Add elk sausage and continue to cook until brown.

2) Add chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil and ¼ cup of cilantro to meat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low heat. Simmer for approximately 30-45 minutes being sure to stir occasionally. If sauce begins to thicken, add a ¼ cup of water.

3) In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 1 ¾ cup mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup parmesan. Add 2 lightly beaten eggs to the cheese mixture and stir.

4) In a 9×13 pan, spread a little of the sauce on the bottom of the pan. Place 3-4 noodles over sauce. Add 1 cup of meat sauce over noodles along with a few spoonfuls of the cheese mixture and a few diced chili’s. Top with another layer of noodles and repeat the process until you are out of ingredients. You will need to judge the amount equally to achieve 5 layers.

5) Cover with foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes. Remove foil and top with remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Continue to cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes.

Easy and Quick Tip for Roasting a Chili Pepper
1) Turn your gas burner on to high. Place the chili pepper directly on the gas burner. Let the chili pepper sit on the burner as its skin begins to bubble and turn black (about a minute).

2) Once one side gets pretty well blistered, use tongs to turn the chili to another side. Repeat until the chile gets blistered or charred on all sides. Obviously you need to pay close attention to the chili. It should just blister and char a bit, not catch fire.

3) Place the chili in a brown paper bag or plastic ziploc bag. Close the bag and let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes.

4) Remove the chili from the bag. Use your fingers or a damp towel to rub off the skin. Remove and discard the stem, seeds, and veins.

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