A bushcrafter's take on "Come Dine With Me"

[craeg]

Hello most learned friends

My friends and I at work have decided this year for an interesting bit of social intercourse we are going to do "Come Dine With Me" like the TV programme. I thought that as I have drawn September, we are doing one event every month, that as a bushcrafter, I should create a menu with what I can hunt, grow and forage.

I am forever telling them about my hobby and this will show them that having this knowledge can be really practical and useful. They are forever jibing me and calling me Ray (I am not worthy :notworthy of this title obviously) and this will give them something to think about

I will have potatoes, garlic, some greens, carrots and peas in my garden and I will forage for whatever is in season in the hedgerow. I also intend to shoot rabbit, squirrel and pigeon for the meat and possibly some catch some fish and signal crayfish.

What I would like from members is some ideas for recipes so I can prepare about 4 courses for 6-8 people and the quantities I will require like pigeons, squirrels and rabbits, per person.

Any advice with recipes or ideas would be most welcome and appreciated guys n gals, especially if you have created a dinner party with forraged, hunted, grown produce and ingredients.

Cheers
Craeg

 

[belzeebob23]

Hi Creag

Game pie springs to mind with crayfish starter carrot top soup and wild berry ice cream,
but have a look at hugh double barreled name chef first tv show a cook on the wildside got alot of idears about living off the land.
http://www.channel4.com/search/?q=a cook on the wild side also cause your going for 4 course the portions can be a little smaller and with plenty of wine should go down a treat.


scott

 

[_scorpio_]

if you cant get trout then perch taste nice, but you may need quite a few depending on how many people are there. or you could try to catch a big (10lb+) pike and cook that, there also nice apparently though i haven't yet tried one.

 

[eel28]

and with plenty of wine should go down a treat.

Home brewed of course

 

[Bushwhacker]

Make them eat it outdoors over a campfire too.

That really is cracking idea you and your friends have come up with.

 

[craeg]

Thanks for all the ideas fellas and I bought 'a cook on the wildside' from the works for £3.50 so it will come in handy. I also like the idea of eating outside with a fire going

 

[Wilderbeast]

hey mate!
Good Idea I did this with my family last year, my bushy influence was to toast some marsh mellows outside over a campfire at the end!

Just thought I'd say that until recently I hadn't had that much really superb rabbit, it had all just been o.k., but I recently I had this and it was absolutely gorgeous, i reckon if you can copy this recipe they'll love it!

http://www.lookwhatwefound.co.uk/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=29

 

[dorkingbushcraft]

They are forever jibing me and calling me Ray (I am not worthy :notworthy of this title obviously )

i know the feeling

 

[Kerne]

if you cant get trout then perch taste nice, but you may need quite a few depending on how many people are there. or you could try to catch a big (10lb+) pike and cook that, there also nice apparently though i haven't yet tried one.

I have - they serve it in restaurants on the banks of the Loire, fresh from the river. "Brochet au beurre blanc" - Lurvly, go for it!

 

[Cooper90]

Pike eewwwwaaaawww too many bones and horrible little needle bones at that

 

[tobes01]

If you're going to eat in the woods, why not set up a smoker? Very easy to do a hot smoker over a fire, get some ham and fish in there. Serve them a plate of leaves and berries, then invite them to help themselves by removing the boughs and picking the food off...

That's your starter fixed. Then a hangi for the main course. Nice big joint of venison. Again, bury it before they arrive and invite them to come and dig up their dinner! I did this to a good mate who's a cynic about my interests - as he said afterwards, he's still a cynic but next time he goes camping he's taking me with him (did him a roast leg of pork, we were the envy of the campsite).

Tobes

 

[myotis]

if you cant get trout then perch taste nice, but you may need quite a few depending on how many people are there. or you could try to catch a big (10lb+) pike and cook that, there also nice apparently though i haven't yet tried one.

Pike is superb, you need to deal with the impossible to miss large bones, but otherwise a great fish to eat. While sea tout remains my favourite fish, pike competes for my second favourite.

Graham