Fish, Game & Ketchup

Although you may be short on a few other ingredients, there’s usually a bottle of ketchup in the fridge. Many Farmer’s Markets are open with fresh, seasonal produce. Check them out! Here are a few recipe ideas to get you going. Now, you might be out of one or two ingredients and that’s where your imagination should kick in. If you require a more detailed recipe, I’m guessing that you might be an engineer. 

1. Cocktail Sauce and Poor Man’s Shrimp. Ketchup, prepared horseradish and lemon juice. If you’re out of horseradish, substitute your favorite hot sauce. Season any light-fleshed fish with Old Bay Seasoning, lightly brown on both sides. Serve on a saltine cracker with a dollop of cocktail sauce. Or try it with frog’s legs!

2. Sloppy Joes. Add ketchup, Worcestershire, brown sugar and a pinch of salt to sautéed diced onions, minced garlic and peppers. Mix with any browned ground meat, including waterfowl, antlered game and any other ground meat. No buns? Try it in a tortilla, taco shell or, for a low-carb version, use a lettuce leaf. 

3. Meatloaf. Combine ground meat with egg, breadcrumbs, diced onions, diced celery, diced carrots, seasonings and ketchup. Form into a loaf pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Brush the top with ketchup and return to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the internal temperature is 155 degrees.

4. Barbecue Sauce. Sauté diced onions, garlic and peppers in some butter. Once the onions are translucent, stir in a little brown sugar, but don’t go crazy with it. You can always add more. Some folks add a can of beer or a splash of bourbon, maybe some lemon slices. It just depends on what’s on hand and whether you’re willing to part with your beer or bourbon. Let it simmer for an hour or so, cool and strain out to solids.