Shakin & Bakin Foodie Blog

Spring is an extremely exciting time for food and tradition. Miami's Chef Adrianne Calvo, who coined the catch-phrase "Maximum Flavor", is proving why this Easter, it's not about the bunny, it's about the Lamb in more than one way. Calvo, who states every Thursday on her NBC Miami segment, Maximum Flavor Live, that she's "allergic to boring" shares this vibrant and delicious recipe for lamb chops. This Easter, forget roasting for hours. Instead opt for these bold flavors and whip out your grills. This recipe serves 2.

Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops + Melted Gorgonzola + Fried Blueberries Recipe

4 New Zealand Lamb Chops, frenched
1 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
Canola Oil
1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup Blueberries
1 teaspoon chives, minced

Preheat the grill to high. Brush the grill with canola oil to prevent sticking. Combine Montreal steak seasoning and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. On a clean work surface, lay out the lamb chops and season generously with mixture. Place on the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, preheat an electric fryer to 375 degrees F. (or a small pot with canola oil to medium high heat) Flash fry the blueberries until the skin starts to break. Set aside. In a small pan, melt gorgonzola over medium heat. To serve, place lamb chops on the center of plate, spoon melted gorgonzola on each chop, add fried blueberries, and garnish with minced chives.

Adrianne Calvo is the Executive Chef and owner of Chef Adrianne's Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar, Host of Maximum Flavor Live on NBC's 6 in the Mix, author of four cookbooks: Maximum Flavor (2005); Chef Adrianne: Driven by Flavor Fueled by Fire (2008); #MaximumFlavorSocial (2014); and Play with Fire (2015), and founder of the Make it Count Foundation. Chef Adrianne's Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar opened in 2007 and offers a varied and rotating menu with something for everyone. Monthly, the restaurant holds its signature event, Dark Dining, where guests are blindfolded for a sensual experience eliminating one sense in order to enhance another, providing maximum flavor. For more information, visit www.chefadriannes.com or follow her on Instagram: @chefadrianne

How many of you have enjoyed eating bison? I have to admit, I've only had bison one time and it was in the form of a bison burger when I lived in Arizona years ago. I remember clearly how delicious that burger was! Now that we live in the northeast, you don't come along bison meat very often. I guess for most of us here, we would probably have to do mail order to obtain it regularly. Looks like the chef grilled up some fresh veggies to serve alongside the main dish.

Today's guest post recipe is courtesy of Chef Anthony Stuart, Executive Chef at Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa. For those of you who measure out your portions, serving size is 4 oz.

Carrot Stuffed Bison Tenderloin Recipe

1 whole grass-fed bison tenderloin (cleaned and ends remove)
2 whole carrots peeled and shaved down and blanche
2T Pritikin all purpose seasoning
2T salt free lemon pepper
2T ground coriander

Place a roasting pan in the oven at 400 degrees to pre-heat. Combine all purpose, lemon pepper and coriander and season tenderloin. Insert a boning knife in the center of tenderloin lengthwise and turn making a hole. Repeat from the other end. Insert the whole carrots into the center incisions making sure the carrots meet in the center.

Blueberry Balsamic Reduction Recipe

2 cups blueberries
1 cup balsamic vinegar

In a sauce pan combine blueberries and balsamic and bring to a boil. Reduce flame and let simmer for 10 minutes. Cool and blend. Serve with bison.

Disclosure: Recipe and photograph were used with permission.

I'm not a big wild game eater but that's not because I don't like it or have access to it. My brother and brother-in-law are huge wild game hunters and often offer me wild game. In the past, I turned it down more often than not...until now.

You see, the reason I've never really got into consuming wild game was because I didn't know how to prepare it. Thanks to "The Complete Wild Game Cookbook" I've now got 165 different recipes to tantalize our taste buds.

Title: The Complete Wild Game Cookbook
Author: Jean-Paul Grappe
Publisher: Robert Rose
ISBN: 978-0-7788-0516-8

This enticing & informative cookbook explains, from forest to table, how to make the most of wild game. Absorbing & engaging, it's not only full of information about game birds & animals but also introduces you to several wild plants that pair especially well with the suggested dishes, and includes recipes for broths, gravies, marinades and glazes.

In addition to the 165 recipes, it features tips on preparing and cooking game, and the details on the different species available throughout North America. You'll also learn how to use the flesh & giblets of game, as well as wine-pairing suggestions, information on the various cuts of meat & general terms used in butchery.

Here is an example of some of the recipes in the cookbook:

* Braised Duck with Olives
* Roasted Duck Magrets with Grape Foie Gras
* Duck Salmis
* Sauteed Goose Gizzards with Wild Mushrooms
* Slow-Cooked Goose Thighs
* Woodcock and Hare Pie
* Asian-Flavored Guinea Fowl Supremes
* Gray Partridge Braised with Cabbage
* Roasted Quail with Cedar Jelly Sauce
* Lark Pie
* Short Ribs Cooked with Baby Yellow Beets
* Wild Boar Head Cheese
* Bison Roast with Milkweed Sauce
* Beer-Braised Bison Neck
* Bison Stew with Kumquats
* Leg of Bear in Beer
* Roasted Squirrel with Sauce Poivrade
* Plus many more recipes!

This wild game cookbook is absolutely jam-packed with mouth-watering recipes! One of the things that really impresses me is the wide variety of recipes within the book. Just about every wild game animal that is legally hunted in North America is represented in this one cookbook! The foodie photography is beautiful to look at too!

If you got a hunter in your family or just anyone who enjoys preparing and eating wild game...this cookbook would make a great gift (the holidays are coming). You can find this cookbook and many other books by checking out Robert Rose online.

Disclaimer: Shelly H. received a complimentary copy of this book for review. No monetary compensation was received. Shelly's thoughts, words and opinions about this product are 100% her own and your opinions may differ.

Do you love to eat duck meat? If so, I thought I would share my great uncles homemade Cumberland Duck Sauce with all of you. When he was alive and with us he loved to eat roasted duck and when he ate duck he always made my great auntie make this homemade duck dipping sauce to go along with it. From what I am told, this recipe is about 30-40 years old!

Homemade Cumberland Dipping Sauce for Roasted Duck

8 oz. jar red currant jelly
1/2 cup Port or Madeira wine
1 teaspoon ground ginger
juice from 1/2 of an orange
juice from 1/2 of a lemon
rind grated from 1/2 of an orange

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan and thicken with a small amount of corn starch. Once thicken turn off heat and let it cool. Refrigerate until ready to use and serve with fully cooked roasted duck.

As I have previously stated here on my blog, I am not a fan of venison so I don't eat it. However, my hubby loves it from time to time and is appreciative when my brother sends down some of his deer meat to him.

Here is one of my hubby's favorite Venison recipes and it utilizes the crock pot.

Slow Cooker Venison Roast Recipe

3 lb. venison (deer meat) roast
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 quart of water
2 1/2 tablespoons bacon fat drippings
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of parsley
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

Stir the table salt into warm water in a medium sized bowl until it has dissolved. Place roast into the bowl, cover and refrigerate for 8 hours. Drain water and pat dry with a paper towel.

Place your roast and bacon drippings into a large stock pot. Turn burner up to medium heat and brown the roast on all sides until it is well seared. Remove and set aside.

Turn your crock pot on and set the temperature setting to high heat. Place roast inside it first. Then combine the vinegar, bay leaf, thyme, chopped onion and minced garlic together and pour over top. If needed, add 1-3 cups of water to the mixture so that your roast is completed covered. Stir in the parsley and ground black pepper. Cook in the crock pot on high for 1 to 2 hours...then turn your heat setting down to low and cook for 4-6 hours or until its done. You need to remove the bay leaf before serving. (do NOT eat bay leaves!)

My brother Jeff is an avid hunter...he hunts for deer every deer hunting season here in PA. He is also a professional Archer...so he hunts by both gun and bow. I personally do not enjoy deer meat...but when he gets a deer, he sends some meat down to my home for my hubby who does enjoy vension.

Here is the recipe for his Venison Chili that he gave my hubby.

Venison Chili Recipe

2 lbs. ground venison (deer meat)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno chili pepper, seeded and diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon oregano
1 tablespoon molasses
1 large can of whole tomatoes
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
2 large cans of red kidney beans

In a large frying pan, saute the ground vension until its thoroughly cooked, then drain off the grease and set aside.

In a large stock pot or large crock pot, add in all of the other ingredients. Add the cooked ground vension last.

You can cook this on the stove top over low heat for 2 hours or put it all in your crock pot (slow cooker) and cook over low heat for 4 hours. You will need to stir it every once in awhile to prevent sticking.