Baking to Terms
An Alaskatarian Decides to Hunt
I won a lottery this year. My name was drawn for a Unit 6C Federal Subsistence Moose Permit. I now have permission to hunt for a moose. In my community, it’s reason ...
The basic idea is simple. Pie dough, leeks, squash, and in the original, dark greens. I took my version in a wild direction with ground moose and lingonberries. I imagine this recipe would also be a great way to use up game and squash or mashed sweet potatoes from a holiday meal.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4–6 Serving(s)
- 1 pound ground moose
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
- 2 medium sweet onions, sliced
- 1 cup lingonberries or bog cranberries plus a small handful for garnish (feel free to substitute commercial cranberries, but chop before using)
- Olive oil for cooking squash, onions, moose
- Salt and cracked pepper, to taste
- 3 teaspoons dried Herbes de Provence
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Slice squash in half and scoop out seeds. Lay squash face up on a baking sheet and brush with oil. Bake at 400° F until soft enough to mash with a fork. Reduce oven temperature to 375° F.
Meanwhile, sauté onions in olive oil and 1 teaspoon of Herbes de Provence until caramelized. Keep the heat at medium to medium-low so the onions don’t burn or crisp.
In a separate skillet, brown the ground moose in olive oil with 2 teaspoons of Herbes de Provence.
Mash the squash and mix with the ground moose, caramelized onions, and 1 cup of lingonberries. Add salt and cracked pepper, to taste.
To assemble, roll the dough on a board lined with parchment paper to a ¼-inch thickness. Lift the parchment and dough onto a baking sheet.
Spoon squash mixture into the center of the dough, making about an 8–9- inch roundish mound of filling. Fold the dough up over the filling, pleating the dough as you make your way around.
Bake at 375° F for about 50 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat, and garnish with a handful of fresh lingonberries. Serve immediately or later at room temperature. Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.
