Estonian Hunter and Chef Shares Her Tips for a Rich Game Pâté
Estonian hunter and chef Kerlin Ledis explains how she makes use of wild game, including less familiar cuts. Game Meat Week, themed "From Snout to Tail," begins in Estonia next week.
Kerlin Ledis, an Estonian hunter and chef, has shared how she makes the most of wild game, including less familiar cuts of meat. The account was published by ERR News, the news portal of Estonia's public broadcaster. The topic is timely because Game Meat Week, with the tagline "From Snout to Tail," takes place in Estonia next week.
Ledis says she enjoys both hunting and cooking with wild game, and tries to use as much of each animal as possible. She has even hauled hunted roe deer meat home from the forest herself. She prefers lean meat. According to her, some cooks add wild boar meat or fat to moose meat at home, but she rarely does so.
Other commitments have kept her from hunting as often in recent years. Even so, she still gets caught up in the excitement whenever she heads into the woods, whether as a driver or carrying a gun. She stresses that everything brought home is tested: all game meat is checked before it is prepared for food.
Pâté with liqueur
Ledis says a good game pâté starts with liver and heart. A splash of Vana Tallinn liqueur adds a distinctive touch, and she calls it an excellent seasoning.
From snout to tail
The chef says other hunters sometimes leave boxes of meat at her kitchen door, asking her to put it to use. Her friends then benefit, as she shares whatever she prepares, including moose liver pâté.
Ledis admits she has not mastered absolutely everything from snout to tail, but she enjoys cooking with a range of less conventional cuts. She particularly likes tongue, heart and liver, while kidney is less to her taste.
