Sportsman's Quiche

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Most deer hunters who slipped into stands this season focused on big bucks. Sitting in the treestand with boyfriend on opening day, I'm sure my boyfriend was praying that a 10-point would move out of the oak hammock. But I was praying with my belly for a doe to prance into the crosshairs. We had a doe tag, and who wants to eat a tough old buck anyway? Granted, even an old buck tastes good when ground into sausage or burger. But you can also save the best parts of the doe for grilled steaks or broiled delicacies and use the less-desirable cuts for other delightful, gristle-free dishes.

No buck appeared that day, but a 2-year-old doe moved into range. We dispatched the doe with a .243, a small, high-velocity round that packs a wallop, but doesn't tear up the shoulder meat, which is great for ground sirloin.

The backstraps and hams were gone in a matter of weeks. The boys were probably expecting me to make venison stew with the remainder, but sometimes that just takes too long. I'm new to the family, and decided to invite his parents over. It was risky, but I surprised them by using the ground venison in what I called the Sportman's Quiche.

You should have seen the disgusted looks when I put the pie dish down. They pierced me like a .243. Come to think of it, my boyfriend and his dad are more likely to join PETA than order quiche, and they could not believe I would think to use the animal in such an effete dish. Slicing off a significant wedge, Mom led the charge and the boys had no choice but to dig in, lest the girls devour it all. They loved it. They really loved it. Their faces lit up like little boys, and as they launched into tall tales both Mom and I reminded them not to talk with their mouths full. Only a couple of plate crumbs were left for the bird dog to lick.

Sportsman's Quiche can be served in a number of ways. Try serving it with roasted red pepper and tomato soup or summer corn chowder, and a side of asparagus. Or try slicing the pie into smaller portions as a party appetizer. If you cook enough for leftovers, Sportsman's Quiche makes a great breakfast, like cold pizza.

If you shot a deer or have been given ground venison this season, try these simple recipes:

VENISON QUICHE

Serves 2 to 4 people

1 deep-dish quiche crust (in grocer freezer section)

1 /2 lb. ground venison

Dale's Seasoning marinade

1 /4 cup chopped mushrooms

3 garlic cloves, minced

5 eggs

3 /4 cup cream

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1 /4 cup flour

1 /2 tsp. rosemary

2 tsp. sage

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (Italian blends)

Pinch salt/pepper

Grated parmesan cheese

Butter

Preheat oven to 350. Mix marinade into the ground meat and set aside. Turn heat to medium; when pan is hot, sauté mushrooms and garlic in butter for 3 minutes. Add marinated meat to the skillet until browned. Meanwhile, combine eggs, cream, flour, rosemary, sage and some of the shredded cheese. Wisk until most of the lumps are removed. Pour into crust dish.

Strain as much of the cooking liquid as possible from the meat. Add meat mix to the crust dish. Spread evenly in the dish. Add remaining cheese, salt/pepper. (Optional: Butter the crust edges to make it flakier.) Sprinkle parmesan on top. Bake for 45-50 minutes. The flour will cause dish to rise. Serve hot.

Sportsman's Quiche can be modified Southwest Style. (If you don't have venison, spicy ground wild hog sausage works wonderfully, or you can also substitute lean ground beef.) For a spicy Mexican twist, try adding:

2 jalapeños, finely chopped, to the sauté

1/4 cup onion, chopped, to the sauté

1/2 tsp. basil, to the egg/cream mix

2 tsp. cilantro, to the egg/cream mix

1/4 cup tomato paste, to the egg/cream mix

1 1/2 cups shredded cheeses (Mexican blend) , in place of other

Another great way to cook some of the less-desirable cuts is to prepare it as a soup. Italian venison soup is a hearty all-in-one-meal which contains vegetables, meat and pasta. This is a variation of a soup made with beef. Served with mozzarella-garlic bread and a goat cheese-and-spinach salad, it makes a great meal on a cold winter day.

VENISON ITALIAN SOUP

Serves 8

1 lb. ground venison

1 onion, chopped

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes

2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce

3 cups water

2 tsp. dried basil

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. salt

1 /2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 15-ounce can pinto beans

1 15-ounce can green beans

1 carrot, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 /2 16-ounce-package fusili (spiral) pasta

Brown venison, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, water and spices. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir in beans, carrots and zucchini. Simmer soup for 90 minutes. Add pasta, and cook until tender. Top individual servings with your favorite grated cheese and serve.

Now, if have you the time to spare and want some real variety, Venison Goulash is a great recipe. This dish was very popular in my grandmother's house growing up. She always preferred to use burgundy cooking wine instead of the regular red cooking wine. Her rationale was that it accented the flavor of the meat better. However, as kids, we thought it was more or less due to her cocktails playing with her taste buds while she was cooking. Similar to a stroganoff, accompany this dish with buttered noodles or try boiled new potatoes with rosemary.

VENISON GOULASH

Serves 6

2 lbs. venison cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

3 tbs. flour

1 large onion,

finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tbs. paprika

1 /2 cup red wine

1 qt. boiling water or stock

1 small can tomato paste

1 cup sour cream

Roll the meat in the flour, pressing the flour into the cubes. Heat a skillet with butter to medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and cook until browned. Add the meat and brown well. Add all the remaining ingredients except the sour cream. Stir well, cover and simmer gently for 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is tender. Add more stock, water or wine if necessary. Just before serving, stir in the sour cream.

Remember this tip when choosing a libation to accompany your venison meal. Venison has a tendency to overpower light red wines. Choose a red with a meatiness (not spiciness) of its own, such as a California Cabernet Sauvignon. FS