Braised Bison, Mushroom Sage Gravy & Wild Rice Fritter

This modern interpretation of a traditional Native stew is slow cooked and flavored with fresh sage, a wild plant on the prairies. Serve it over wild rice fritters for traditional taste.

2 lb Lean bison chuck or round steak, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 tb Balsamic vinegar
1/2 ts Freshly ground black pepper
2 ts Minced fresh sage
2 tb Canola oil
1 c Chopped onions
2 Cloves garlic, minced
2 tb Flour
1 c Cabernet sauvignon wine
1 c Beef stock
1 c Wild mushrooms
1 tb Chopped fresh sage
Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste





1/4 c Butter
1/2 c Chopped onions
1/2 c All-purpose flour
1/4 c Rye flour
1 ts Baking powder
1/4 ts each, salt and pepper
1 Egg
1/2 c Sour cream
1/4 c Milk
1 c Cooked wild rice
2 tb Canola oil

Combine bison with vinegar, pepper and 2 teaspoons of sage and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and brown the bison over high heat in batches. Set aside the meat as it’s cooked. Add the onions and garlic to the drippings in the pan and sauté 5 minutes, until beginning to brown. Add the flour and stir to combine. Slowly stir in the wine, stock, and wild mushrooms with their soaking liquid. Return the meat to the pan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer the stew for 1-2 hours or until the bison is very tender. Stir in the fresh sage and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve with wild rice fritters.


Wild Rice Fritters:


Sauté onions in butter until tender. Combine the flours, baking powder, salt and pepper. Whisk together the egg, sour cream and milk. Quickly stir the wet ingredients into the dry to form a batter. Let stand 10 minutes. Fold in the sautéed onion and cooked wild rice. Heat canola oil over medium high heat in a nonstick frying pan. Using 2-3 tablespoons of batter per fritter, cook for 2 minutes a side, until browned and cooked through. Serve the fritters as a base for the
braised bison and mushrooms. Yields: 4 servings.

From High Plains: The Joy of Alberta Cuisine by Cinda Chavich