Did you miss the Wild Game Dinner?
By Judith Pannebaker 
Here are a few recipes to tide you over until next year.
If you missed the 21st annual all-you-can-eat Wild Game Dinner at the Grace Lutheran Church on Saturday, Jan. 31, there’s no doubt about it, you’re a daisy – and maybe a huckleberry, too.
At any rate, if you weren’t there, it’ll be another year before you can partake of the sumptuous feast which included barbecued wild hog and javelina; four kinds of deer – axis, fallow, red and whitetail; black buck antelope; and javelina, not to mention Earline Lindig’s mouth-watering venison chili; way more than a covey of Texas Gourmet Quail, donated by Tom Herrington, owner of the Diamond H Ranch; and venison summer sausage by Oscar and Tina Valdez. And, as usual, the desserts were fabulous.
Turn to page B10 to see what a great time everyone had at this fun and festive event. In the meantime, here are some wild game recipes guaranteed to whet your taste buds for next year’s feast. You’ll have to supply your own game – and desserts – however.
Now, wouldn’t it just be easier next year to attend the Wild Game Dinner at the Grace Lutheran Church? You betcha!
The following delectable recipes were taken from “It’s All in the Game: Family Secrets of Texas Wild Game Cooking,” a cookbook by Bebe Canales Inkley and Cisi Canales Jary, published in San Antonio in 1986. Apparently, the cookbook is out-of-print, but can be purchased at two Internet book sites.
Baked Dove
12 Dove 4 sticks butter or margarine
Salt & Pepper 1/2 C. Worcestershire Sauce
Garlic Powder 1/2 C. Dry White Wine
Flour 1/2 C. Water
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Generously season birds on all sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Dredge heavily in flour. In a heavy skillet, brown birds in melted butter or margarine over medium heat. Place birds in an ungreased shallow baking, saving juices remaining in skillet. To juices add Worcestershire sauce, wine and water. Bring to a boil, stirring to keep from sticking. Pour juices over birds. Bake uncovered for 2 1/2 hours. Serves 4.
Venison Stew
in Crock Pot
2 lbs. Venison, Cubed 1 T. Dried Parsley Flakes
Salt & Pepper 1/2 C. Water
Oil for Frying 1/2 C. Dry Red Wine
3 Stalks Celery,
Chopped
1 8-ounce can Tomato
Sauce
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced 1 1/2 T. Flour
Brown meat in oil. Add salt and pepper and all remaining ingredients except flour. Mix well. Sprinkle flour on top. Cover and cook in crockpot for 7 to 8 hours, on low setting.
Serves 6 to 8.
Baked Javelina
1 5-lb. Ham 1/4 t. Thyme
10 Whole Peppercorns 4 Whole Cloves
4 Cloves Garlic 1/4 t. Salt
2 Cinnamon Sticks 2/3 C. Vinegar
4 Chili Serranos 1 C. Warm Water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Process all spices in blender with enough water to make a paste. Add vinegar. Pierce meat ad rub with spices. Let stand in refrigerator for 4 hours.
Place ham in covered baking dish and bake for 1 hour. Turn meat over and bake another hour. Remove meat to a heated platter and keep warm.
Scrape bottom of pan to loosen drippings. Add warm water. Return meat to pan and coat well with juices. Bake another hour until meat is tender.
Good rolled up in flour tortillas.
Serves 6.
Christina’s Apricot Quail
12 Quail
2 C. Fresh, Sliced
Mushrooms
Apricot Brandy 2 Stalks Celery
1 C. Flour 1 t. Salt
7 T. Butter
1/2 t. White Pepper
1 C. Apricot Brandy Juice of 2 Oranges
1 C. Dry White Wine 2 C. Cooked Wild Rice
1 1/2 C. Chicken Broth Orange Wedges
2 C. Fresh, Sliced Mushrooms
Brush quail, inside and out, with apricot brandy. Dust with flour. Sauté birds in a Dutch oven in melted butter. Pour in apricot brandy, white wine and chicken broth and add mushrooms. Lay 2 whole stocks of celery across top of birds. Add salt, pepper and juice of 2 oranges. Cover Dutch oven and simmer birds slowly for 1 hour. Remove and discard celery.
Serve quail on a bed of wild rice and garnish with orange wedges.
Serves 4 to 6.
If cooking wild rice flummoxes you, try this method from Peggy Harvey’s 1957 cookbook, “Cooking to Taste,” this charming book is definitely out of print. Dig for it in thrift shops.
Wild Rice
Wash the required amount of wild rice and put it in a strainer. Set the strainer in a deep saucepan in which it fits. Bring water to a rolling boil and pour enough over the rice to cover it. Do not put the rice on the stove.
Have more water boiling and, when steam has ceased to rise from the rice, lift out the strainer, pour out the cooling water, put the strainer back in the saucepan and cover with fresh boiling water. Repeat this process until the rice is as tender as you desire.
Four times is enough, we think.
