Danielle Prewett didn’t like pot roast as a child.
Yet there is a recipe in her new cookbook. Why? The Texas chef revealed to Fox News Digital that it has something to do with the love of hunting she inherited from her husband.
“I’m married to a hunter, so he brought in a lot of what some would consider exotic meats, like duck, rabbit and venison,” Prewett said. “I just thought it was really fascinating. Fascinated, I had the opportunity to work on a protein that I couldn’t find in the grocery store. That’s how I got hooked on cooking wild animals in the first place.” (See the video at the top of this article.)
CHEF ANDREW ZIMMERN hunts, cooks wild animals and creates recipes for ‘anyone’ who watches his show
Game meat is a key ingredient in the winter stew recipes in her debut cookbook, Wild + Whole.
This cookbook is divided into recipes for each season. Prewett said the book took two and a half years to produce.
Danielle Prewett developed her love of hunting from her husband. She said she now enjoys cooking wild game from the animals she hunts, such as mule deer. (played by Cody McGrady)
It took so long to come together because Prewett wrote the recipes during the season they appear in the book.
Prewett said it was important to her that “every time you turn the pages of the book, you feel like you’re in that immersive experience.”
She adds, “This is very much a cookbook that has its roots in finding as many ingredients as possible in nature.”
Undercooked bear meat served at North Carolina barbecue restaurant sickened 10 people, CDC reports
Prewett found this to be true with her winter stew recipe, which she also named “Not My Mom’s Stew.”
“I’m actually a big fan of stews and slow-cooked meats when working with wild animals because it’s such a tough animal by nature,” Prewett said. “So I wanted to find a way to take that same nostalgic recipe, But just figuring out how to make it is, frankly, better.
Prewett tries to find ingredients “out in nature” as much as possible. (played by Cody McGrady)
In a description of the recipe in her cookbook, Prewett writes: “As an adult, I discovered, shockingly, that stew can actually be quite delicious, and knew I had to try making this dish with venison. .
Prewett’s recipes also allow for substitutions.
Winter Pot Roasted Celery Root and Gremolata by Danielle Prewett
Serves 4 to 6 people
stew
1 medium celery root (about 1 pound)
21⁄2 pounds venison or chuck, shoulder, shank, or tail (see note)
Kosher salt and freshly ground
black pepper
No time for healthy food? Yes you will, celebrity chef insists
1 tablespoon beef tallow or neutral oil such as avocado or grapeseed
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 leek, sliced and rinsed, grit removed
2 parsnips or carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons dry white wine
California chef shares favorite childhood recipes in new cookbook, offering a taste of home
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
A few thyme and/or rosemary sprigs
6 cups chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
Note: If using beef instead of venison, choose roast shoulder or trimmed brisket. The only difference is the shorter cooking time, 2 to 3 hours.
Creamy polenta
1 1⁄2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 cup quick-cooking polenta
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Gremorata
2 tablespoons chopped
Celery, celery leaves or fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
Winter Stew (right) is a recipe from Prewett’s “Wild + Whole” cookbook. It contains celery root and gremolata. (Rodale Books/Danielle Prewett)
route
1. Make the stew: Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Peel the celery root and cut into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
3. Cut the venison against the grain into large chunks (4 to 6 inches) and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat beef tallow in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the meat, in batches if needed, and cook until browned on both sides, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer meat to a plate and set aside.
Click here to subscribe to our lifestyle newsletter
4. If the pan seems dry, add a little more oil, then add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to turn golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the leeks and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the parsnips, celery and celery root and cook for a few more minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant, less than 1 minute. Add wine and lemon juice. Let the alcohol boil, then stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the herb sprigs to the pot. Return the venison pieces to the pot and pour in enough stock to come halfway up the sides of the meat (you may not need all the stock).
This winter stew from Prewett’s Wild + Whole cookbook is made with venison. (Danielle Prewett)
6. Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Simmer for about 4 hours until meat is fork tender. About three-quarters of the way through the cooking time, leave the lid slightly ajar so the liquid can reduce and turn the meat over if the top looks dry. (If the liquid reduces too much, add a small amount of stock to the pot.)
For more lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle
7. Meanwhile, make the polenta: Combine 1 1⁄2 cups water, milk, salt, and pepper in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in polenta and turn heat to low. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream and Parmesan cheese. Let polenta sit, uncovered, to thicken; serve warm.
8. Make the gremolata: In a small bowl, stir together the diced celery, lemon zest, Parmesan cheese, and garlic. Set aside until ready to serve.
Click here to get the Fox News app
9. Spoon the polenta onto a plate. Top with stew meat and vegetables, garnish with gremolata and serve.
This recipe is owned by Danielle Prewett and shared with Fox News Digital. It appears in “Wild + Whole” (Rodale Books).
