Bruce Auden specializes in wild
game at his restaurant, Biga, in San Antonio. Whether
served as an appetizer or as the main course, Auden's
Game Packets unlock the unique flavors of exotic game.
Don't let all of the ingredients scare you off. There
may be a lot of chopping involved, but the recipe is
fairly simply and the results are phenomenal.
Packet Sauce (makes
over 2 cups-twice as much as you will need for this
recipe)
1/4 cup pure sesame
oil
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/2 cup mushroom soy
sauce
1 cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. tamarind concentrate
1 Tbsp. sambal olek
(spicy Thai chili sauce)
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. garlic,
chopped
2 Tbsp. shallots,
chopped
2 Tbsp. ginger,
chopped
1/4 cup scallions,
diced
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds,
toasted
Game Packets
3 lbs. game meats
(venison, duck, ostrich, pheasant, quail, squab, or
chicken and turkey, if preferred). chopped
18 raddichio leaves,
separated
18 bibb lettuce leaves,
washed and separated
1/4 cup peanut oil
4 cloves fresh garlic,
minced
2 inch piece of ginger,
peeled and minced
4 scallions, cut
on the bias
1 red bell pepper,
diced
1 yellow bell pepper,
diced
1 green bell pepper,
diced
1 rib celery,
diced
1 stalk lemon grass
(tender heart only), minced
1/4 head napa cabbage,
chopped
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 bunch mint leaves,
chopped
1 bunch cilantro,
chopped
1/4 cup toasted cashews,
chopped
1 cup Packet Sauce
(recipe above)
2 Tbsp. corn starch
2 Tbsp. cold water
Combine
all of the Packet Sauce ingredients and mix. Store in
a tightly covered container.
Mix
cornstarch and cold water together. Heat a large sauté
pan or wok over high heat. Add 1/2 the peanut oil and
all of the chopped meat. Brown completely, remove and
drain excess oil.
Add
remaining peanut oil to hot skillet. Add garlic, ginger,
peppers, scallions, celery, lemon grass and cabbage.
Stir fry 1-2 minutes and add cooked meat. Add packet
sauce, bring to a boil and add cornstarch mixture. Cook
for 1-2 minutes till slightly thickened.
Note: If you find
that your skillet is too small (like we did), don't
freak out! Just divide the food between two pans.
Spoon
meat into lettuce cups. Garnish with cashews, mint bean
sprouts and cilantro. Serve with spicy dipping sauce.
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