Deer and mashed potatoes

 

Sitkinak deer roast

I'm posting this one for Stuey.  He's in Latvia on an exchange program and has been doing a lot of cooking.  He has been using a lot of the recipes from my blog and messaging for advice.  I love it!

One thing he has had a hard time with is ingredients.  He does have a lot of potatoes - apparently Latvians eat a lot of potatoes.  I made mash potato pancakes the other day and he told me that that is a very 'Latvian dish'. But he does not have access to any wild game and his meat supply is limited.

Anyway - here is my mostly local dinner from a couple of weeks ago.  A roast from a deer I harvested with garlic cloves (from my garden) inserted into it for flavor (click here for basic recipe). Mashed potatoes from my garden with garlic and store bought leeks (also butter and 1/2 and 1/2 from store) (click here for basic recipe). And my gravy that contains store bought onions and celery but also hedgehog mushrooms that I collected on Afognak (I think this recipe is included in my roast recipe above).

I see that the mashed potato recipe included within the hunter's pie recipe is not complete.  After I boil the potatoes until they are fork soft I drain them.  I then leave them draining in colander and added finely chopped leeks, garlic, and butter to the big cast iron pot (along with salt and pepper).  Then after cooking the garlic and leeks enough that they are soft I re add the potatoes and mash with half and half cream (or even whole milk).  Sometimes I add more butter.  I add enough milk to get the right consistency.

Anyway, Stuey this meal is for you!

Patrick

Hedgehog mushroom gravy

mashed potatoes with leeks and garlic