Photography Update

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Hi All! Just wanted to announce that the Photography section of our blog has been updated with new photos. Please take a look-see. Click on the tab on the bar above, or click on the red highlighted word in the first sentence. Thanks!

Venison Skewers with Cilantro-Garlic Sauce

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We decided to have a little BBQ this past weekend, a good chance for a few of my friends to try some venison. We had a spread of cheese, crackers and venison summer sausages, which went pretty quick. After all the hamburgers, hotdogs and korean bbq (courtesy of my good friend Caroline), we all walked down to the beach to watch the sunset. The weather was perfect. It wasn't too hot, and it wasn't too cold. I keep hearing on the radio how lucky we Californians have been in the weather department. While the rest of the country is simmering in the late 90s and 100s, we have been chillin' in the 80s.

Anyway, after we came back, we threw these venison skewers on the barbeque, and they became a BIG hit. Everyone loved it, and commented how it wasn't "gamey" at all, not like what they had imagined and heard in the past about deer meat. "Tender" was the word that was heard 'round the room. The cilantro-garlic sauce was fantastic, and paired perfectly with this popular game.

Thanks to the Glowienke's for providing their beautiful house by the beach in Corona Del Mar. I was dog sitting the entire week. Keno is the name of their crazy, but cute little dog.

Servings: 16 people as an appetizer

Prep time: about 1 1/2 hrs

Cooking time: 6 minutes

Ingredients:

- 3 lbs. venison roast, cut into 1-inch strips

- 7 garlic cloves, peeled

- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves

- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

- 3 tsp. Kosher salt

- freshly ground black pepper

- 2 tbs. lemon juice

- 1 cup + 3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- bamboo skewers

I. Cilantro-Garlic Sauce

1. In a food processor, mince garlic. Set 1 tbs. aside. 

2. Add parsley, cilantro, 1 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper into food processor. Pulse until chopped.

3. With the motor running, add lemon juice and 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a steady stream. *If you're using a small machine, like we did, that's not a good idea. Just pulse, stop the machine, add some oil, then repeat. 

4. Pour into bowl, cover and refrigerate. 

II. The MEAT

1. Trim off all silver-skin and fat from the venison. 

* Remember that silver-skin and fat tastes nasty. It's what makes game meat taste "gamey."

2. Cut roast into 1-in strips. 

3. In a big zip-lock bag, marinate the meat with the leftover minced garlic, 2 tsp. salt and 3 tbs. of the cilantro-garlic sauce you made. Seal and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

4. Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. 

5. Once ready, thread the meat onto skewers.  

6. Grill or broil skewers for 2-3 minutes on each side.

*DO NOT OVERCOOK VENISON. It's not beef. 

Serve with the cilantro-garlic sauce. YUM!

Happy Carnivores

Jennifer or "Kim Phu" enjoying her venison skewer.

Others. 



(Don't mind the chicken. He had too much fun that night.) -------------------------------------------->

Stephanie loved it, A LOT.

Keno did too! 

Just kidding. Unfortunately, she couldn't have any venison. 

Pretty California sunset on the beach.

Thanks for looking!









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Dancing Squid

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ATTENTION: THIS VIDEO IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART.

I know Asians eat weird things. Heck, I'm Asian, and I eat pretty weird things. But this is INSANE. Thought I'd share with you all. It's a "seafood bowl" type dish from Japan. Makes me cringe, a little-- something Anthony Bordain would probably eat. (No offense if this dish just happens to be your favorite food.) It's wild beyond wild, without being wild.

No thanks. I think I'll stick to eating things with four legs, and completely DEAD. No knee jerk reactions. Nuh uh!

Oh, and we will be posting up a grilled venison skewers recipe with a yummy green cilantro and garlic sauce soon. Sorta Mexican.

Portobello Mushrooms

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Alright, something for the vegetarians: portobello mushrooms, stuffed with tons of great flavors and good things for you, like spinach, sundried tomatoes, Greek Kalamata olives, onions and shallots. We ate this as a side dish, but it's hearty enough to stand on its own.

Servings: 2
Grilling time: 10-15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 oz baby spinach leaves
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1/8 cup yellow onion, minced
- 1/8 cup shallots, minced
- 1 tsp. garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup finely diced ripe tomato
- 1/8 cup oil-packed, sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper


- 2 large portabello mushrooms, 5-6 inches in diameter
- 1/8 cup Panko bread crumbs, lightly toasted (heat in a pan over medium heat until slightly golden)

I. Filling

1. In a large pan over high heat, cook spinach until just wilted, 1-2 minutes. Stir frequently.

2. Drain until cool in a sieve. Squeeze the rest of the liquid with your hands, then roughly chop the spinach.

3. Wipe out the pan, and warm 2 tbs. of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and shallots, cook until golden, about 5 minutes.

4. Add garlic, cook for additional 30 seconds. Add diced tomatoes and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until moisture evaporates, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat.

II. Mushrooms

1. Remove and discared stems from the mushrooms. Scrape out the black gills underneath the mushroom caps with a small paring knife or spoon.

2. Generously spray or brush mushrooms with oil and season with salt.

3. Spoon the filling onto the caps, spreading evenly to the edges. Toss Panko with salt and pepper to taste, and 1 tsp. oil.

Sprinkle Panko mixture over filling.

4. Grill mushrooms, mushroom side down over direct medium heat until crumbs are browned and the mushrooms are tender, 10-15 minutes. The mushrooms will shrink.

Enjoy!





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Burgundy Grilled Goose

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Doesn't that just look mouthwatering? It sure was good eating. The wine added a nice touch to the goose, smoothing out the fowl's flavors. It was a lot like beef, come to think of it. Then a sprig of rosemary, some slivers of garlic, a dash of seasoning and pepper... the marriage is complete!

Servings: 2

Prep Time: marinate for 4-12 hours

Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:

- 1 Canadian goose breast

- burgundy wine, about 1-2 cups

- 2 cloves of garlic, sliced

- 1 sprig of rosemary, chopped

- poultry seasoning

- freshly cracked black pepper 
- 1 tbs. salted butter, melted 

1. In a zip-lock bag, marinate the goose breast with burgundy wine (just enough to cover the breast), sliced garlic and chopped rosemary. Marinate for at least 4 hours, up to 12 in fridge. You can use any red wine you want, really.

 2. Take out of  fridge 1 hour before grilling. Always let your meat come to room temp before you grill or sear.

3. Heat grill to medium-high heat. Melt your butter.

4. Place the goose on the grill and sprinkle poultry seasoning and freshly cracked black pepper on the first side. Baste with melted butter. 

5. Grill for 5-8 minutes on each side, or until medium rare. Season and baste the other side. 

Here is the finger test to tell the doneness of meat. 

* Goose is best eaten medium-rare,or at least medium. DO NOT overcook.  

 6. Take the breast off the grill and cover with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 5 minutes. Resting meat allows it to continue to cook on its own and "reabsorb" its juices. If you cut into it right away, you'll lose a lot of moisture. 






Enjoy with your favorite summer side dishes and the rest of your wine. We grilled zucchini and stuffed portabella mushrooms. 

Thanks for looking! Please let us know what you think by leaving comments. 

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Teddy

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Hi everyone! We are currently working on a Grilled Goose 'n Wine recipe. We also found an awesome way to enjoy portobello mushrooms, stuffed with fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, Greek Kalamata olives, minced shallots and Japanese bread crumbs. It's to die for. So keep your eyes out for us in the next few days. It's taking us a little longer than expected to get photos together this week.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." 

- Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. President

Venison and Shrimp Kebabs

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With a Turkish twist, these juicy surf and turf kebabs are sure to become a grilling favorite. These bad boys are packed with tons of flavor-- cumin, cilantro, red onion, and garlic-- they will give your summer night dinners that extra kick. Coupled with a spicy Red Harissa Sauce borrowed from Bon Appetit's featured Chef Silvena Rowe, these kebabs are dynamite. Venison will go where it's never gone before... with its new-found buddy, the shrimp!

Makes: About 14 kebabs

Ingredients:

- 1 1/4 lbs ground venison

- 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided

- 4 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 cup of red onion, coarsely grated

- 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped

- 1 tsp. ground cumin

- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

-  1 lb. shrimp, deveined, peeled and roughly chopped

- olive oil, for brushing

-extra wide Popsicle sticks

Red Harissa Sauce: makes 3 cups

- 3 large red bell peppers

- 2 1/2 tbs. white wine vinegar

- 4 garlic cloves, crushed

- 2 red jalepenos

- 1 tsp. ground cumin

- 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus extra to taste

- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to taste

- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

I. Red Harissa Sauce

1. Roast the red bell peppers directly over a gas flame, turning occasionally to get them charred all over. Roasting peppers really helps to release flavors, and gives a smoky taste.

2. Transfer to a large bowl, cover and let stand for 15 minutes.  This will steam the peppers and make them easier to peel. 

3. With a knife, scrape the skin off. Remove the stems and seeds. 

4. Seed and chop the jalapenos. Crush the garlic.

5. Except the extra-virgin olive oil, put all the other ingredients in a food processor. Puree until very smooth. 

With the machine still running, slowly add in the oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

* Store in fridge until ready to use. Freeze extra.

II. The Kebabs

1. In a large bowl, combine peeled, deveined and chopped shrimp and ground venison.

2. Using mortar and pestle, or anything you can find, further crush the minced garlic and 1 tsp. of kosher salt together into a paste. I just did the best I could with my knife.

3. Add the garlic paste, remaining 1 tsp. of kosher salt, onion, cilantro, cumin, pepper flakes, black pepper to the venison and shrimp. Combine well. 

4. Press the mixture onto popsicle sticks. Try not to overload. The meat may be too heavy and fall off. It can be a little tricky, since ground venison doesn't have much fat in it, but with some finessing, it will work. You just have to be extra careful. 

5. Prepare your grill. 

Charcoal- medium hot fire

Gas grill- high heat

6. Brush kebabs with olive oil and place on grill. Grill until nicely charred and just cooked through. About 6 minutes each side.

7. Serve hot with Red Harissa Sauce. 

We suggest having this dish with couscous and Greek salad. Enjoy!








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Latest Adventure: Bridge to Nowhere

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Bridge to Nowhere pictures are up under the "Latest Adventure" page. We hope you enjoy them. Remember to check back every month for updates on our latest outdoor outings.

Darius Rucker

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I've been in Philadelphia this past week, working at the AT&T National golf tournament. Explains why our site hasn't been too active, but I thought you all might be interested in this. I'm sure there a lot of country fans out there, or maybe Hootie fans, but Darius Rucker came to play for our Rock FORE Charity event Wednesday night. I got to interview Darius for the blog I'm writing for the tournament. Here's a picture.

If you're interested in reading my blog, click AT&T National Blog. You'll also find stories about what the golf tournament is doing for our men and women in uniform.