Recipes

Chili crisp might be hands down one of the best condiments you can have in your pantry. Like a secret weapon for any dish, it's almost addicting, and this version doesn't even have MSG. It's a flavored oil packed with crispy garlic, shallot, and chilis, accompanied by many other options, such as...

The way I use herb jam in my kitchen, it could be considered a mother sauce. The stuff is so flavorful, nimble, and dependable that it naturally finds its way into countless meals from spring through fall. Let go of your preconceived notions of jam—this is not that. This is savory, complex, and...

Catfish are one of the only fish that I encounter that I wish were harder to catch. In the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, blue catfish account for up to 75% of the fish biomass. Blue catfish are not native to the Bay, but they have established themselves in such abundance that they’re hard to...

A tostada is essentially an open-faced hard taco. Crunchy, spicy, savory, and deliciously messy, this is a fun and easy meal to put together. This wild turkey version is made with turkey thighs that are braised with chiles, cumin, and garlic. Prepare the meat, beans, and fried tortillas ahead of...

The season for oyster mushrooms can be long. We typically find them in spring and fall in Nebraska, when temperatures warm after winter and the weather begins to cool down again in the fall. Wild oyster mushrooms are always found on logs and dead timber and are usually pearl white, light brown, or...

Mention deer tallow or deer fat, and some of the first words you’ll hear are “waxy,” “chalky,” “rancid,” or “bitter.” While the first two are accurate textural descriptors, the latter are inaccurate taste descriptors. I’ve spent a career in restaurants, essentially watching people eat, and if I were...

Here’s a spring-time or summery recipe to try with just about any red meat. Between the caramelized onion and mushrooms, these bites are filled with umami. One suggestion—choose a fruit preserve that’s on the tart side, such as cherry, to help balance the sweetness of the onion. These bruschetta are...

If you’re lucky enough to have a flock of hens—at some point, in spring or summer, when they’re really laying, the day will come when you think you might be tired of eating eggs. Salt-cured yolks will revive you. The yolk is the only part of the egg that matters to the tongue, the whites serve...

For many of us, spring is synonymous with wild turkey. And if you hunt, then you know the heart-pumping experience of watching a strutting Tom heeding your call. Wild turkey is arguably one of the best "white meats" out there. It’s especially delicious with seasonal vegetables like artichoke, tender...