Fare Game

Until recently, the only game that came to the table was the kind carried on a hunter’s back.

Things are different now.

With few exceptions, game sold in markets today is farmed, not hunted, to meet the increasing consumer demand for exotic foods.

Bob Alcorn of Alcorn Wholesale Meat Co. in Cypress, a wholesaler of commercially farmed game, thinks that consumers’ rising interest in exotic foods has caused a rise in his business.

“Interest in these products has grown 100% in the last 10 years,” he said. “Five years ago, you never heard of farm-raised venison. Today you can find it the year-round in fresh or frozen state.”

Consumer interest in game could be traced to the inspiring dishes prepared by increasing numbers of professional European chefs coming to our shores.

“When I was in the non-specialty meat business, I used to run into European chefs who would ask if I could locate some game,” Alcorn said. “I decided to branch out to specialty game meats exclusively when the demand became clear.”

Health consciousness is yet another factor in the acceptance of game by the public.

“People are more aware of game, and today more high-quality game is available,” said Brian Reff of Reff Brothers Food Co. Inc. in North Hollywood. “People are also becoming more health conscious. Venison has less fat than beef; game birds are also less fatty. People want to go out and eat what they can’t cook at home.”

Most game meats are less caloric and higher in protein than domestic meats, depending on the type of meat and cut. For each 100 grams of venison, for instance, there are 20.6 grams protein, 218 calories and 10.9 grams fat, compared with 16.9 grams protein, 313 calories and 26.9 grams fat for the equivalent amount of sirloin beef. Similarly, pound per pound, rabbit is higher in protein and twice as low in fat and calories than beef, but almost equivalent in protein, fat and calorie values as chicken.

Where does the game come from if not from the hunting bag?

Commercial farms breeding game are popping up throughout the country to supply a small percentage (less than 1%) of total meats to markets. However, much of the game sold in markets also comes from other countries.

There is wild boar from Australia, venison from New Zealand and the large red deer and the smaller fallow deer found in Bavaria and other places in Central Europe. There is rattlesnake from America’s desert lands, snapping turtle from the British West Indies, quail from South Carolina, squab from Louisiana, pheasant from Pennsylvania and guinea fowl from Canada.

California is the only state to require inspection of farm-raised game poultry. Certain farm-raised game animals are exempt from federal inspection, according to veterinarian Leslie G. Billingsley, chief of meat and poultry inspection branch of the California Department of Agriculture. However, federal regulations govern most of the game marketed in California or brought in from other states or foreign countries. With few exceptions, only farmed game--not native wildlife species--can be marketed in California. Many states in the nation do not permit marketing of wildlife species. Of those states that do permit it, certification of origin is required before farmed game may enter the state, or else it faces confiscation. Farmed game should carry a federal or California inspection label when sold. Another assurance of legality and safety of farm-raised game sold in markets is the reputation of the breeder and seller, Billingsley said.

“Such laws have been established to preserve wildlife in America and also because a large illegal market in wildlife parts is threatening natural wildlife,” said Larry Sitton of the Wild Life Management Division of the California Department of Fish and Game.

In California, where large illegal poaching rings dealing in wild lions, bears, deer and game birds were seized only recently, poaching is a serious offense.

Gavin Thompson, trade commissioner of the New Zealand Consulate, reports that New Zealand, which supplies the United States with 500 tons of venison along with other products such as orange roughy, John Dory, mussels, lobster and lamb, will be exporting wild boar as well.

“New Zealand venison is grass-fed and less gamy and you don’t have to cook it as long,” Thompson said. “We realize we have to educate chefs, particularly Europeans accustomed to tougher wild game.” New Zealanders, in fact, are beginning what promises to be a major Angora and cashmere industry, which also will provide wild goats to the marketplace.

Although most of the game sold goes to the restaurant trade, supplies are available all year at most upscale and specialty food stores, at no small cost. But for those who can afford cooking with game, the cost may be well worth the adventure.

At Irvine Ranch Market in Los Angeles, for instance, quail sells for $12.99 for four pieces; squabs are $15.98 per pound (they usually weigh one pound each with head and feet). Pheasant goes for $7.99 per pound. Venison tenderloins retail for $18.99 per pound and roasts $9.99 per pound. A buffalo roast costs $8.99, and buffalo T-bone steaks are $17.99. Rabbits are $3.49 per pound. Among the most unusual are rattlesnake ($17.99), which is excellent when broiled or sauteed, and alligator ($12.99 per pound), which is good sauteed like fish.

Supermarkets have already included rabbit as part of the regular inventory, and it is only a matter of time before other game will follow, according to wholesalers.

Today’s farmed game is a far cry from its wild game counterpart in terms of convenience, flavor and tenderness.

There is no skinning, dressing and draining with farmed game. Most of it comes to market fully dressed, vacuum-packed or packaged frozen, and ready to cook. Because the farmed meat tends to be more tender than wild game, cooking time is reduced in most cases. (Please see related story on Page 25 on how to cook game.)

Any poultry or meat recipes may be adapted to their farmed game counterparts with minor modifications in cooking times.

Chefs turning out exciting recipes for game inspire consumers to try preparing game at home.

We canvassed a few restaurants where game is regularly on the menu.

At La Vie En Rose in Brea, executive chef Tony Knight, a recent transplant from the Four Seasons in Dallas, cuts loin of venison into medallions to saute and serve with a blackberry port sauce. Easy and to the point. Knight also prepares partridge stuffed with a wild mushroom mixture, which becomes a mousse when the bird is baked. For this dish, have the butcher debone the partridges. Some markets charge an extra fee for the service, but it’s worth it if you don’t know how to do it.

Another interesting trick for keeping small stuffed game birds from falling apart during cooking is to wrap a strip of foil around the breast to hold it in place. This eliminates unsightly markings caused when string or cord is used for tying.

In an adapted recipe from Neiman-Marcus, a warm squab-orange-olive salad is dressed with olive oil and lemon juice dressing. Breasts only are used in the salad. You can use the same idea with chicken or turkey breasts.

Buffalo steak can be prepared as you would any beef steak. Buffalo Steak Au Poivre should please he-man appetites--a perfect choice for a tete-a-tete romantic dinner for two.

Unusual Flavor Twist

Chinese flavors inspired Kung Pao Rabbit, made with chiles for an unusual flavor twist. Serve it with rice or noodles.

Pheasant was used by Persians since ancient times, and a recipe that has survived is one in which pheasant cooks in a pomegranate-walnut sauce. The recipe is simple to make, yet exotic, and it is served with rice prepared the typical Persian way, with a towel over the pot to allow steam to be absorbed and to separate the plump rice grains.

The accompanying recipes (beginning on Page 1) are for several types of fresh and frozen game found in specialty markets today, including rattlesnake. The rattlesnake recipe is from “The Wild Game and Fish Cookbook” by Jim Bryant (Little, Brown: $15.95).

Other Recipe Sources

Other good sources of information about game are “The Joy of Cooking” by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker (Bobbs-Merrill: $16.95); “The New Doubleday Cookbook” by Jean Anderson and Elaine Hanna (Doubleday: $16.95); “The L.L. Bean Game and Fish Cookbook” by Angus Cameron and Judith Jones (Random House: $19.95).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has several recipe booklets on game cookery. For a consumer catalogue, visit or write to the U.S. Government Printing Office Bookstore, Arco Plaza, Level C, 505 S. Flower St., Los Angeles 90071, or call (213) 894-5841.

VENISON WITH BLACKBERRY-PORT SAUCE

2 pounds fillet of venison or chops

Salt, pepper

6 tablespoons butter

1 pint blackberries or other berries

2 shallots, minced

3/4 cup Port

Sauteed Oyster Mushrooms

Cut venison into 3/4-inch-thick medallions. If using chops, filet round medallion portion and discard bones. Pound medallions to flatten slightly. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet. Add venison medallions and saute over high heat, turning once. Reduce heat and cook 5 to 6 minutes longer or until medallions are done. Set aside in warm place.

Add most of blackberries to pan. Add shallots and Port to pan and cook until wine is reduced by 1/4, about 5 minutes. Whip in 1/4 cup butter until melted. Strain into sauceboat. Arrange venison medallions on platter. Pour sauce over venison. Sprinkle with remaining berries. Serve with Sauteed Oyster Mushrooms. Makes 6 servings.

Sauted Oyster Mushrooms

1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, cut into strips

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup brandy

Salt, pepper

Saute mushrooms in butter until soft. Add brandy, salt and pepper to taste and bring to boil. Boil until reduced to glaze.

VENISON FILLETS WITH WILD MUSHROOM SAUCE

2 pounds fillet of venison or chops

Salt, pepper

1/2 cup butter

2 shallots, minced

1 small clove garlic, mashed

1 pint wild mushrooms

3 tablespoons brandy

1/2 cup whipping cream

Cut venison into 3/4-inch-thick medallions. If using chops, filet round medallion portion and discard bones. Pound medallions to flatten slightly. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet. Add venison medallions and saute over high heat, turning once. Reduce heat and cook 5 to 6 minutes longer or until medallions are done. Set aside in warm place.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in skillet. Add shallots and garlic and saute until tender. Add mushrooms and saute 2 minutes. Add brandy and reduce to glaze. Stir in whipping cream. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup butter until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with venison. Makes 6 servings.

WARM SQUAB SALAD WITH OLIVES AND ORANGES

4 squabs

1 large cucumber

1/2 cup pitted black olives

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Salt, pepper

1 or 2 oranges, cut into sections

Red leaf lettuce, torn

Radicchio, torn

Have butcher bone squab to remove breasts only. Set aside. Discard bones or use to make stock, if desired.

Peel and cut cucumber into fine julienne pieces. Place in bowl with olives, olive oil and lemon juice. Let stand 20 minutes.

Saute squab breasts in melted butter until tender, about 10 minutes, turning often to brown evenly. Remove from pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and remove to warm place.

Strain dressing from cucumber mixture into pan in which breasts cooked. Reserve cucumber mixture. Bring dressing to boil. Add orange sections. Boil 30 seconds.

Line platter or plates with lettuce leaves and radicchio. Slice breasts. Arrange spoke fashion in center of platter. Pour sauce over squab and lettuce. Top with cucumber mixture. Makes 4 servings.

PARTRIDGE STUFFED WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

1 clove garlic, minced

1 boneless chicken breast half

1 egg

1/2 cup whipping cream

Salt, pepper

2 1/2 ounces spinach

1/2 cup wild mushrooms

Butter

2 tablespoons brandy

4 partridges or 8 quails or squab, boned with legs intact, or boneless breast of duck or pheasant

Pear-Honey Sauce

Port-Poached Pears

Combine garlic, chicken, egg, whipping cream and salt and pepper to taste in food processor. Cook spinach in small amount of water 1 to 3 minutes until wilted. Drain, then squeeze dry. Chop coarsely and add to food processor mixture. Puree until almost smooth. Set aside.

Saute mushrooms in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Add brandy and cook over high heat until brandy is absorbed and slightly glazed. Fold into puree mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place boned partridges flat, skin side down. If using duck, squab or pheasant breasts, butterfly and pound slightly to flatten. Spread mushroom mixture over partridge and rewrap to form bird shape. Place strip of foil around center of bird to hold in place.

If using duck or pheasant breasts, spread mushroom mixture over surface of cut side and roll breast, jellyroll fashion, and tie with string.

Place in baking pan brushed with melted butter and bake at 450 to 475 degrees 10 to 15 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice into 1/2- to 3/4-inch medallions. Arrange in attractive pattern on platter. Serve with Pear-Honey Sauce and garnish with Port-Poached Pears. Makes 4 or 8 servings.

Pear-Honey Sauce

1/2 cup honey

2 sprigs thyme

2 cups coarsely chopped pears

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup butter

Combine honey and thyme in saucepan. Cook until honey darkens slightly, stirring constantly and being careful honey does not caramelize.

Add pears and broth and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add cream and bring to boil. Boil until slightly reduced. Add butter and cook, stirring, until sauce is smooth. Makes about 1 cup.

Port-Poached Pears

2 pears, halved and cored

1/2 cup Port

Poach pears in Port, covered, turning often to coat and color evenly, 15 to 20 minutes.

BUFFALO STEAK AU POIVRE

2 pounds boneless buffalo steak

1 clove garlic

Salt

Butter

Cracked peppercorns

1/4 cup brandy

Rub steak with garlic clove, then sprinkle lightly with salt. Rub generously with butter. Pat coating of cracked pepper on surface of steak on all sides. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

Heat large skillet. Add buffalo and cook until seared on both sides. Cover pan and cook 10 minutes. Remove meat. Add brandy to pan. Heat and ignite. Wait until flames die down and pour pan liquid over steak. Serve with French-fried potatoes, if desired. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

KUNG PAO RABBIT

2 (2 1/2-pound) rabbits or 1 1/2 pounds boned duck breast

1 egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 quart peanut oil

3 to 6 pieces dried red chiles

1 teaspoon mashed garlic

2 tablespoons sliced green onion

1 teaspoon mashed ginger root

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Vinegar Sauce

1/2 cup roasted or fried peanuts

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Have rabbits boned, then cube. Or rabbits can be cut into sections without removing bones, if desired. If using duck, cube duck.

Combine meat, egg and salt in bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch and mix to coat well.

Heat peanut oil in wok or large skillet. Add rabbit mixture and fry until golden on all sides. Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Set aside in warm place.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon oil from pan. Heat oil. Add chiles, garlic, green onion, ginger and rice vinegar. Stir-fry 5 minutes. Add Vinegar Sauce, cooked rabbit and peanuts. Sprinkle with sesame oil. Toss lightly. Makes 6 servings.

Vinegar Sauce

10 tablespoons hot water

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon wine

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 tablespoon rice malt vinegar

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

Combine water, soy sauce, wine, sugar, rice malt vinegar, pepper and ginger. Makes about 3/4 cup.

PHEASANT WITH POMEGRANATE-WALNUT SAUCE

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 cups shelled walnuts, ground

4 cups chicken broth or water

Salt, pepper

1/4 cup butter

1 (4- to 5-pound) pheasant, quartered

1/4 cup bottled pomegranate syrup

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup sugar

Walnut halves or fresh pomegranate seeds

Persian Rice

Heat olive oil. Add onion, garlic and turmeric and saute until onion is browned. Stir in walnuts, broth and salt and pepper to taste and transfer to large saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes.

Melt butter in skillet until very hot and almost browned. Add pheasant and cook, turning often to brown evenly on all sides. Place in walnut mixture in saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until pheasant is tender.

Skim fat from surface. Blend together pomegranate syrup, lemon juice and sugar and add to pheasant mixture in pan. Cover and cook 20 minutes longer until pheasant flesh is very soft, but not falling from bones.

Arrange pheasant pieces on platter. Top with some sauce. Garnish with walnuts or pomegranate seeds. Serve with Persian Rice. Makes 4 servings.

Persian Rice

1 1/2 cups rice

1/4 cup butter

Freshly cracked pepper

Cook rice in boiling salted water 10 minutes. Drain rice in colander. Add butter to pan and melt. Add rice and toss lightly to mix. Cover saucepan lid with towel, tying ends of towel around handle to prevent it from falling into flame. Cover and continue to cook over very low heat 10 minutes or until rice is soft and fluffy. Toss lightly before serving. Sprinkle with freshly cracked pepper. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

SAUTEED RATTLESNAKE STEAKS

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 pound rattlesnake steaks

Salt, pepper

Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium-low heat. When butter is hot, add rattlesnake steaks and saute 8 to 10 minutes, turning frequently with tongs, not fork, to avoid piercing meat. Steaks should be watched carefully and turned as soon as they begin to get plump. Regulate heat so steaks develop light, golden hue but never brown. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.

Food styling by MINNIE BERNARDINO and DONNA DEANE / Los Angeles Times