Where the wild things are... (+recipes)

I emailed a friend in the US telling her about the great wild rabbit casserole simmering in my oven. She emailed me back detailing six ways to cook squirrel. Thanks, but no thanks. I'll stick to the wild things that inhabit our clean green environment.
Not all of us have the opportunity to bag ducks, but with the season about to begin, I'm hoping friends will drop one off. As with any meat not farmed, duck can be rather tough, different joints taking varying times to cook. Therefore I'm rather partial to popping wild ducks in the slow cooker and leaving them on low heat for eight hours. Then, they just fall apart.
Wild game is more readily available these days, especially at farmers' markets and also online at www.game-meats.co.nz. Wild game for retail is slaughtered and packed on registered premises and hunters need to have their licences renewed annually. Hunters work with landowners to ensure the environment is not damaged.
Allan Spencer of Premium Game says the easiest way to cook boned wild rabbit loins is to dip them in a prepared seasoned crumb mix then bake at 160C for about an hour or until tender.
Another idea is to make a pocket in each loin, stuff them with prunes, wrap the loins in bacon and barbecue over low heat. A must for venison lovers is minced wild venison spaghetti bolognese. My husband's version is a knockout and I guarantee once you've tried wild venison bolognese you'll never want to use minced beef again.
RABBIT WITH ROSEMARY & OLIVES
You may need two rabbits to make up the required weight for this dish.
1.3kg wild rabbit
flour for dusting
3-4 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, diced
2 tbsp each: finely chopped purple sage leaves, rosemary leaves
12 pitted black olives
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 cup each: orange juice, chicken stock
400g can tomatoes in juice, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 160C.
Cut the rabbit into 6 pieces. Dust with flour.
Heat a little of the oil in a heavy casserole dish suitable for the oven. Saute the rabbit in batches, until golden. Remove to one side. Heat a little more oil and saute the shallots for 1-2 minutes. Then add the herbs, olives and garlic. Return the rabbit to the pan and add the orange juice. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then add the stock, tomatoes and the juice. Season. Cover and cook for two hours or until the rabbit is tender. The juices may be thickened with 2 tbsp of flour mashed together with equal amounts of butter. Gradually stir into the casserole juices and cook for a few minutes, until thick. Excellent served on creamy polenta. -Serves 6.

SLOW COOKER DUCK
If you didn't bag your own duck then you could use free-range duck available from some butchers and supermarkets.
1 large wild duck
1 small orange
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 cup orange juice
2 tbsp each: grated root ginger, palm or brown sugar, soy sauce
1 tbsp butter
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Wash and dry the duck. Prick the orange all over with a thin, sharp skewer. Insert in the cavity of the duck. Add 2 kaffir lime leaves. Truss the duck, if necessary. Combine the orange juice, root ginger, palm or brown sugar and soy sauce. Place the butter in the slow cooker. Place the duck on top. Pour the orange juice mixture over the top. Top with 2 more kaffir lime leaves and black pepper. Cover and cook on low for eight hours. Turn the duck halfway through cooking if preferred or baste occasionally. Remove the duck to a serving platter, cover and keep warm. Discard the fat from the slow cooker. Strain the liquid into a small saucepan and boil until slightly thickened. Serve with the duck. -Serves 4.
THAI GOAT CURRY
2-3 tbsp rice bran oil
1 large onion, sliced
1kg boneless wild goat meat, cubed
3 tbsp flour
2 tbsp each: Thai red curry paste, tomato paste
1 tbsp finely grated root ginger
freshly ground black pepper to taste
400ml can coconut milk
lime or lemon wedges
Preheat the oven to 160C.
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a heavy saucepan and saute the onion, until softened. Place in a casserole dish. Dust the goat evenly with the flour. Add the remaining oil. Lightly brown the meat in batches. Add to the casserole. Stir the curry paste, tomato paste and ginger in to the saucepan. Season. Stir in the coconut milk. Pour into the casserole. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 -2 hours or until tender. Serve with lime or lemon wedges on the side to squeeze over the meat. Serves 4-6.
TERRINE OF WILD VENISON WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE
This makes an excellent starter. It can be baked 2-3 days in advance and refrigerated until required. The sauce can also be prepared ahead.
500g each: wild minced venison, venison sausage meat
30 juniper berries
2 tsp each: black peppercorns, thyme leaves
1 tsp salt
100g pistachio nuts, halved if whole
3/4 cup dry white wine
Cranberry Sauce: 2 tsp grapeseed oil
2 shallots, diced
1/2 tsp curry powder
500g frozen cranberries
2 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup orange juice
Preheat the oven to 160C. Lightly oil a 21cm x 10cm loaf pan or similar.
Combine the meats in a large bowl.
Crush the juniper berries using a pestle and mortar, if possible. Add to the meat. Crush the peppercorns separately and add to the meat together with the thyme, salt, pistachio nuts and wine. Mix well. Pack into the loaf pan. Cover tightly with a double layer of foil. Place in a roasting pan and add enough boiling water to the pan to reach 3cm in depth. Bake for 1 hours. Remove and cool for 30 minutes. Place 2 or 3 400g cans of food on the top of the foil-covered terrine to weigh it down. Chill for at least 24 hours. To make the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan and saute the shallots until soft. Stir in the curry powder and heat for 30 seconds. Add the cranberries, sugar and orange juice. Simmer for about 20 minutes. The mixture should be slightly reduced but the cranberries should retain their shape. Cool then chill. Remove the terrine from the loaf pan. Discard any fat. Serve the meat sliced with the sauce on the side. Great served on a bed of watercress. -Serves 10 as a starter.
www.janbilton.co.nz