NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/708333
80 NEBRASKAland • AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2016 H unting game birds is a big part of my life and coming up with recipes to fix them goes along with the territory. I like to dabble in the kitchen and always try to prepare game with ingredients that will complement their natural flavor, not just mask the game. Knowing that not everyone likes the wild game flavor, I also want recipes to taste good so others can enjoy the flavor as well. Grouse has its own flavor, but is much like chicken only with a darker meat. It's tender and can be prepared numerous ways; I like grouse in pot pies, dumplings, breaded and fried, baked whole, and I really like anything that has a gravy or sauce along with it. The recipe below has a creamy velouté sauce that is made easily with the dish. Don't let the fancy name scare you. Velouté (veh-loo-TAY) is a French name for a white sauce that is stock based and thickened with a white roux, which is a mix of flour and fat or butter cooked over low heat and used as a thickening agent. Velouté is one of the five "mother sauces" that most of the classic French sauces are derived from. Knowing how to prepare a velouté gives a base to work from to prepare many other sauces by adding a few different ingredients. What you see below is my version; as stated I like to dabble so you never know what will be thrown into the mix. Adding bacon to almost any game is always a hit. After all, who doesn't like bacon? The grease also keeps meat tender and adds flavor. Stuffing in this dish adds to the natural flavor of the meat while giving it a little seasoned kick. After a day walking the Sandhills for grouse, this recipe will be sure to please and is simple to prepare. Servings: 4 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 50 minutes Ingredients: • 8 boneless grouse breasts from four grouse • 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine • 8 slices of bacon • 8 toothpicks • 1 box of stuffing mix Velouté Recipe • 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine • 2 tablespoons of flour • ¾ cup of chicken broth • ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream • Salt and pepper to taste • White wine to taste 1. Start by washing the breast meat, making sure any shot is removed before moving forward. Separate the tender or smaller backside of the meat off the breast. Lightly sear the breast meat on each side in three tablespoons of butter. Pat extra butter off with a paper towel. Set meat aside. 2. Prepare stuffing mix according to the directions on the box. If you have time and would rather make your own stuffing mix it will add to the homemade quality of this dish. I use a box mix when I do not have extra time. 3. Once the stuffing is complete lay two pieces of bacon out on the table side-by-side. Place one piece of breast meat in the center of the bacon. Place about one-half cup of stuffing mix on top of the breast meat. Place another piece of breast meat on top of the stuffing to create a sandwich. Wrap the bacon around the grouse and secure each bacon slice with a toothpick. 4. Place the bacon-wrapped grouse in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 35 minutes. When there is 15 minutes left for the grouse to bake, start preparing the velouté sauce, that way it's warm and ready to serve when the grouse is done. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Microwave the broth and whipping cream on high for 1 minute. The warm mix will help blend it into the butter and flour so it's not lumpy. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it is thick and bubbly, about 6-7 minutes. I love a sweet, white Moscato wine, and I dump a few dashes into this recipe to suit my taste. 5. Remove the foil from grouse and bake for another 15 minutes. Place onto a plate, spoon a helping of velouté sauce over each serving and enjoy. ■ Stuffed Grouse Breast A simple yet delicious way to prepare any type of grouse. By Julie Geiser PHOTO BY JULIE GEISER