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From the wetlands to the table – celebrating Game Meat Week 2nd November 2026

Recipe: The Finnish Hunters Association

Photos: Leena Kangas, The Finnish Hunters Association

For waterfowlers, hunting does not end when we leave the wetlands. Making good use of the birds we harvest is an essential part of our hunting culture and a way of appreciating the natural resource that wild game represents.

During Game Meat Week, Waterfowlers’ Network celebrates this connection between sustainable hunting, wild food and hunting traditions across Europe.

To mark the occasion, we are sharing a mallard recipe from the Finnish Hunters’ Association. Finland has a strong tradition of waterfowl hunting, and this recipe brings a Nordic contribution to the Game Meat Week table.

Through Waterfowlers’ Network, hunters from different countries exchange knowledge not only about waterfowl populations, monitoring and management, but also about the hunting traditions that connect us. Sharing recipes is another way of keeping that connection alive.

Enjoy the recipe – and happy Game Meat Week!

Wild duck toast with yellowfoot chanterelle hash

Rich, earthy mushrooms, tender wild duck and crisp bread make a simple but flavourful autumn dish. This toast works beautifully with mallard, teal or other wild duck. Yellowfoot chanterelles can be used fresh or dried, making this an easy dish to prepare throughout the game season.

Ingredients

For 2 servings

 Yellowfoot chanterelle hash

  • 150–200 g fresh yellowfoot chanterelles or 1 generous handful dried yellowfoot chanterelles
  • 1 small onion
  • 25 g butter
  • 150 ml heavy cream
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 Wild duck

  • 2–4 wild duck breasts, depending on the species and size (mallard: 2 breasts, teal: 4 breasts)
  • 15–20 g butter, for frying
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

 Toast

  • 2 thick slices of good rustic bread
  • Butter, if needed for frying
  • Flaky sea salt
  • A few sprigs of fresh thyme

Method

Prepare the mushroom hash

  • Finely chop the onion. Melt a generous amount of butter in a frying pan and gently cook the onion over medium-low heat until soft and translucent.
  • While the onion is cooking, roughly chop the mushrooms. If using dried yellowfoot chanterelles, rehydrate them first and gently squeeze out any excess liquid before chopping.
  • Add the mushrooms to the softened onion and butter. Cook gently for a few minutes, allowing the mushrooms to soften and their flavours to combine with the butter and onion.
  • Pour in the cream and reduce the heat. Leave the mushroom mixture to simmer gently until the cream reduces and the hash becomes thick and creamy. It can continue simmering over very low heat while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Cook the wild duck

  • Season the duck breasts with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Heat a frying pan until hot and add butter. There are two ways to prepare the duck:
    • Whole breasts: Sear the breasts in the hot pan much as you would a small steak, turning them to brown both sides.
    • Thinly sliced: Slice the breasts thinly and sear the pieces very quickly in a hot pan.
  • Whichever method you choose, do not overcook the duck. Wild duck is lean and quickly becomes dry and tough if cooked too far.
  • Remove the meat from the pan. If you have cooked the breasts whole, loosely wrap them in foil and allow them to rest before slicing.

Fry the bread

  • While the mushroom hash is simmering and the duck is resting, fry the bread.
  • Do not clean the pan after frying the duck. Add a little more butter if needed, then place the bread slices directly into the same pan. Let them soak up the butter, browned duck juices and all the flavour left behind by the meat.
  • Fry the bread on both sides until beautifully golden and crisp. Keep an eye on it – you want plenty of colour and flavour, but no burnt edges.
  • While the bread is frying, taste the mushroom hash and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. If it is still too loose, let it simmer a little longer. The finished hash should be thick and creamy enough to sit generously on top of the toast.

Build the toast

  • Place the fried bread on a plate and spoon a generous amount of the creamy yellowfoot chanterelle hash over each slice.
  • If you cooked the duck breasts whole, slice them just before serving. Arrange the warm duck over the mushroom hash.
  • Finish with a small pinch of flaky sea salt and fresh thyme.
  • Serve immediately while the toast is crisp, the mushroom hash is creamy and the duck is still warm.