Building character, one wok at a time

We made it! Remember 60 days ago when I posted about the beginning of waterfowl season in Arkansas? Well tomorrow is the last day of duck hunting season, and I'm sure I'm not the only gal ready to spend more time with her avid waterfowler, who has been missing the last 2 months.  Tomorrow, not only marks the end of the season, it's shaving day!

Holt, like a lot of men, doesn't shave his beard during duck season. I'm not sure if it keeps him warmer, completes his camouflage, or when one wakes up hours before daylight for 60 days straight, hygiene habits tend to get triaged, and shaving gets pushed to the back of the line. At one point in time, he wouldn't even trim it, but thankfully I've talked him out of that nonsense. So tomorrow I get to see my boyfriend's clean-shaven boyish cheeks and I, for one, am thrilled!

Looks like a new man!

I think this was an excellent season. While there aren't a lot of ducks in Arkansas right now, the earlier hunts of the season were fantastic, and I got some major crafting done. From the seashell mirror to the lamp makeover, I have made my free-time worthwhile. I squeezed in one more project before the end of the season.

I've had these ugly but very useful storage bins since living in a dorm in college. They're perfect for t-shirts or craft supplies and move easy. They have accompanied me to my home in Memphis and serve their purpose well, but they still scream "dorm room" and "unsophisticated young adult".  

                                             

While I'm not ready to purchase more furniture and part with these, I can handle purchasing fabric on sale at Hobby Lobby. I had a vague idea in mind to somehow construct a slip cover for my storage bins that would make them a little less tacky. I had no pattern or detailed plan, but I saw some fabric I liked and decided to go for it. I always dread the inevitable question from the fabric attendant while he or she is cutting it: "So what are you going to make with this?"  

"Umm, ugh, you know those plastic storage bin things you see at Walmart..."

You can guess that she was rolling her eyes by the end of the explanation of my plan. I laughed it off with a "this may be a trial-and-error thing." With a knowing smile, she replied, "I call those character-building activities."  

Threading the bobbin

                                        

And I did build character. I underestimated how much fabric I needed, and I sewed one portion upside-down. It took a Sunday afternoon and rogue ice storm to complete it, but all in all I think it turned out alright. The front panel of fabric is Velcroed to the sides so I can easily lift it up for access to my t-shirts and craft supplies.

                                           

After my storage bins got a make-over, I needed to start creating some storage space in my freezer again. The duck gumbo cleaned out most of my duck, but I still had some venison inner tenderloin. I hit up one of my favorite blogs to see what fun things I could do with this prime cut of meat. Venison stir fry caught my eye.  

                                        

This recipe was fast, easy, didn't require many ingredients, and definitely went down in the books as a "keeper". The meat was very tender and the flavors were fabulous. It was perfect and I honestly recommend giving it a try.

Holt was my kitchen helper during this adventure. So no, those
are not my enormous, man-ish hands.

Heat 1 1/2 cups of cooking oil in a wok or large, heavy-bottom pan. I debated whether I should go out and buy a wok or use a pan that I already had. Holt talked me into getting the wok, but I was a little nervous about cooking with it because I worried it wouldn't distribute heat evenly. I thought this would be another character-building activity and we might end up ruining the meat, but we didn't. Looks like my New Year's resolution luck is turning around!

Cook 1/3 of sliced, marinated venison in the oil for 30 seconds to a minute. Don't over cook! Fish out the pieces with a slotted spoon and set aside. Cook the rest of the venison in batches.

Pour out all but 3 tablespoons of the oil. Heat the remaining oil over high heat until it begins to smoke.  Add 4 sliced red chiles and 1 sliced bell pepper and stir fry for 90 seconds.

Add 3 cloves of silvered garlic, and cook another 30 seconds. Add the venison and stir fry 90 seconds.

Add 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce and stir fry a final 30 seconds, just until the cilantro wilts. Turn off the heat and stir in 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Serve over steamed rice.

                                     

Sharpen your razors and lather up.  Tomorrow's going to be a great day to build some character!

Hank Shaw's Venison Stir Fry
Serves 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

Marinade
2 T dry sherry
1/2 t salt
3T soy sauce
1 T cornstarch mixed with 2 T water

Stir Fry
1 lb venison, trimmed of all fat and sinew
1 1/2 cups peanut or other cooking oil
1 to 4 fresh red chiles (I used 4)
1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced
3 garlic cloves, slivered
1 bunch cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
1 T soy sauce
2 t sesame oil

Directions

1. Slice the venison into thin slivers of about 1/4 inch and anywhere from 1 to 3 inches long.  
2. Mix with the marinade and set aside while you prep all the other ingredients.
3. Heat the oil in the wok or a large, heavy pot until it reacher 275 to 290 F.
4. Add 1/3 of the venison into the hot oil, and use a butter knife to separate the meat when it hits the oil. Sizzle for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Remove venison with a slotted spoon.  Set aside and cook the remaining venison one third at a time.
6. Pour out all but about 3 tablespoons of the oil.  Save the oil for the next time you cook Chinese food.
7. Get the remaining oil hot over high heat.  When it starts to smoke, add the chiles and bell peppers and stir-fry for 90 seconds.
8. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. 
9. Add the venison and stir fry 90 seconds.
10. Add the cilantro and soy sauce and stir fry a final 30 seconds, just until the cilantro wilts.
11. Turn off the heat and stir in the sesame oil.
12. Serve with steamed rice.

Feathers on the water means casserole in the oven

The alarm sounded and I jumped out of bed with all the enthusiasm of a kid on Christmas morning, not because I was all that excited about the morning's adventure, but mostly out of anxiousness to get ready on time and get to our destination before the sun.  After donning two pair of insulated underwear, thick socks, toe warmers, boots, overalls, two jackets, a neck gator, and a fleece hat, I was dressed for the occasion.  My sleepy companions rummaged around in the darkness making coffee, checking field bags, grabbing decoys, and loading the ATVs.  The caravan pulled out at 4:42 AM, just 12 minutes after schedule.  A twenty minute drive, a bumpy ride on the back of an ATV, and a short walk through the delta mud and we were there.  The flooded timber of the Arkansas delta is a prime duck hunting destination.

I spent the morning hours watching the world around me wake up.  My companions called down dozens of ducks from the pink sky.  We watched them circle, sometimes calling back, and eventually gliding in to rest in the old abandon fishing hole.

Two hunts on opening weekend yielded 39 ducks that were cleaned and distributed to all hunters.  You know the rule, if you kill it, you eat it.  Last year was my first duck season, and I was assured that wild duck was delicious to eat.  I had eaten farm-raised duck in restaurants; when prepared well, it is phenomenal.  Wild duck is drastically different, but not necessarily in a bad way.  Until recently, the only wild duck I had tasted was wrapped in bacon, smothered in cream cheese, and stuffed with jalapenos.  Anything tastes good if you do that to it!  This year, I'm prepared.  I've scouted and tried new recipes and found ways to incorporate duck into my old favorites.  This recipe for Duck and Noodle Casserole is one that I modified from a Duck and Wild Rice Casserole, originally featured in an old Southern Living cookbook.  While the original recipe is delicious, I was out of rice and mushrooms, so I had to be a bit creative.

Duck and Noodle Casserole

Ingredients
4 wild duck breasts, tenderized
1 bay leaf
1 yellow onion
1 bunch green onions
2 cloves garlic, peeled
A sprinkle of herbs/seasoning of choice (I used Herbs de Provence)
Half of a box of pasta
1 can green beans
1/2 cup butter/margarine
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tbs chopped parsley (fresh or freeze dried)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place duck, half of the onion, a bay leaf, two cloves peeled garlic, and herbs/seasoning in a large pot.
2. Add enough water to cover ingredients, and bring to a boil
3. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until ducks are tender
4. While the duck cooks, prepare pasta according to package directions
5. Remove ducks from stock, strain stock, and reserve
6. When duck is cool enough to handle, chop into bite size pieces, looking for and removing pellets
7. Drain green beans, reserving liquid
8. Add enough duck broth to green bean liquid to make 1 1/2 cups
9. Chop the other half of the onion and green onions and saute in a skillet with melted butter until tender
10. Add flour, stirring until smooth
11. Add green beans and gradually stir in green bean liquid/broth mixture
12. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly
13. Stir in duck, pasta, milk, and parsley
14. Spoon into a greased shallow casserole dish 
15. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top
16. Cover and bake at 350 for 15 minutes
17. Uncover and bake 5 more minutes 

You can see the recipe for Duck and Wild Rice Casserole here.

A full duck hunter is a happy one!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, ya'll!