Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [100]
Chopped herbs, matchsticks of cooked root vegetables
Try the Liver Dumplings (below) or simply stuff wonton wrappers with a fine dice of well-seasoned cooked game.
ο Liver Dumplings
{MAKES 12 TO 15 WONTONs} One snowy winter’s day, my friend Miriam e-mailed from deepest Pennsylvania suggesting liver dumplings as a garnish for my consommé. I had some rabbit livers on hand, but you could use chicken livers—or even better, foie gras. These dumplings are wrapped in wonton skins and steamed separately, rather than cooked in the consommé; this ensures that the consommé remains crystal clear.
1 rabbit or chicken liver (about 2¼ ounces [66 g])
¼ cup (20 g) fresh bread crumbs
½ teaspoons finely diced shallot
2 teaspoons marjoram leaves
1 tablespoon beaten egg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 to 15 wonton wrappers
1.Remove any fat and membranes from the liver, then dice it. Place the bread crumbs, shallot, and marjoram in a food processor and pulse until well blended. Add the diced liver and egg, and season with ⅛ teaspoon salt and a few grindings of pepper. Pulse until blended, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
2.To test for seasoning, take a small spoonful of the mixture and drop it into gently simmering water. Simmer for 2 minutes, then taste for the seasoning and correct it if necessary. Refrigerate the remaining mixture, covered, for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
3.Place 1 teaspoon of the liver mixture onto the center of each wonton wrapper. Brush the edges with water and seal, pleating the edges, if desired.
4.Steam the wontons on an oiled steamer rack for 10 minutes. (You can steam the wontons ahead, then cover them with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring them to room temperature before using.) Transfer them to warmed soup bowls and ladle over the hot consommé.
Game Soup
Since this soup isn’t clarified, it’s less fussy than consommé. If you have game stock stored in your freezer, it is quick and easy to prepare. You can vary the vegetables as you wish, adding more carrots, for example, or some parsnip. Pieces of diced cooked game or even small pasta, such as conchiglie, or orecchiette, are other possible additions, but do not omit the mushrooms and Madeira; together, they enhance the soup’s gamey flavor.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 small carrot, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
1 small turnip, peeled, cut into 6 wedges, and thinly sliced crosswise
1 small potato, peeled, cut into 6 wedges, and thinly sliced crosswise
2 celery stalks, sliced
3 cups (750 ml) Game Stock (page 204)
3 medium cremini (brown) mushrooms, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dry Madeira or Marsala
Chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish
1.Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook gently for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the turnip, potato, and celery, then pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the soup simmers gently, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are just cooked. (The soup can be made ahead up to this point. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to a simmer before proceeding.)
2.Stir in the mushrooms and salt. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to cook the mushrooms, then add the pepper and Madeira. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the parsley.
Game Jus and Poivrade Sauce
With game stock on hand, you can make two easy sauces. Jus is simply a concentrated sauce made by reducing the stock. By thickening this jus and adding Cognac and red currant jelly, you turn it into poivrade sauce, traditionally served with game. The jus can be prepared ahead, or even frozen. It is perfect to serve with a simple sautéed or grilled venison chop or the roasted rack of venison (page 224).
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
1 tablespoon finely diced celery
1 tablespoon peeled and finely diced carrot
2 cups (500 ml) Game Stock (page 204)
3 juniper berries,