Fair Fowl Fare

Roast Quail wrapped in Bacon with Orange Pomegranate Sauce

Pheasant, Poussin, capon, squab, quail, goose, duck, — choices, choices; how does one make up his or her mind? First, forget the turkey and make the meal truly memorable. Its not that turkey isn't wonderful if cooked properly, its just that there are other domesticated birds that can bring a excitement to the table with just a little extra effort and usually a lot less cooking time. Holiday dinner plans should take into consideration the tastes of the guests or family partaking in the feast. Oddly, some people don’t do fowl.

Flavors range from the familiar Poussin and game hen, to the more exotic such as Muscovy duck and goose. Also take into account appetite— quails for the lighter feast or as an appetizer; larger and richer birds, like goose and duck, for the famished. 

Many butchers in the area do carry many of these non-mainstream birds, however they are usually frozen. If you want a fresh bird plan ahead and order well in advance of your feast.

A large portion of the population dines on chicken several times a week, broilers or fryers, averaging around 3 1/2 to 4 pounds, being the bird presented in most meat counters. However there are other delicious options in this family.

Poussin or squab chicken (baby chickens usually weighing between 18 and 22 ounces) and the Rock Cornish Hen, a species of chicken usually harvested at about the same weight as a poussin; make a wonderful single serving bird. Both of these birds are can be cooked in similar manners. Roasting or grilling at higher temperatures provides the best result, sealing in the juices and reducing the cooking time: the meal on the table in less than an hour. Whole birds may be stuffed with vegetables, wild rice or any other preferred mixture before roasting, however, I favor splitting the birds in half and grilling or sautéing. These birds benefit by seasoning, basting and or marinating, as they have a mild flavor. This tendency gives the chef a chance to show off his or her favorite sauces.

Capons

Are neutered roosters that have been grain feed and fattened. Weighing as much as six pounds, they can feed an entire family of six. Stuffed and simply seasoned, this succulent bird roasted for a holiday dinner will have the diners applauding.

Domesticated Game Birds

The farming of game birds is quite different than the rearing of commercial chickens. They are not fed hormones or steroids and are usually not crowded into pens, therefore, they are not as susceptible to salmonella bacteria and do not require cooking to over 160°F as most mass-produced chicken is.

Most game birds are suited to roasting; grilling and sautéing, however boiling and stewing generally take away flavor rather that add it. To truly receive the most out of the bird, a little kosher salt and a few turns of fresh ground black pepper will suffice.

There are many wonderful cookbooks that cover the subject of preparing game birds in great detail, but even a basic book such as my favorite, “The Joy of Cooking,” can give helpful hints.

 Squab

Or pigeon are similar to Poussin and game hen in size, the difference being that the flesh is darker and the flavor is mildly gamy. Today’s farm raised squab is usually ring pigeon or rock doves that have not yet developed feathers. These young pigeons are raised on grain diets until they are about a month old. The squab farming industry has been well established in Northern California for many years with one of the largest American producers located in Modesto.

Squab was immensely popular during the 18th and 19th centuries. With a plentiful supply they appeared on banquet menus braised in sherry, Madeira or Marsala or briefly grilled or spit roasted. Also, highly prized by the Chinese and Middle Eastern cultures, numerous recipes abound. Marriages to exotic sauces, like hoisen, and unusual preparations such as baked into pies or wrapped in lettuce leaves and steamed, give this bird tremendous versatility.

More modern approaches to cooking require techniques similar to that of preparing Poussin, these birds should not be over-cooked; this would result in dry and gamy tasting flesh.

Quail

The smallest of the farm-produced fowl are raised in California, Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina with the California species being the larger. They are one of the more popular domesticated game birds their availability is steady. The three main varieties include the coturnix from Japan, the most common farm raised breed, the American Bobwhite and the Pharaoh Quail.

Quail are very small, eight ounces or less on average, so at least two birds person are needed to satisfy an appetite for an entree, however, a single fowl is quite satisfactory when served as an appetizer course with wild grain salad or endives in raspberry vinaigrette.

Quail, as with the previous birds, may be purchased “de boned,” that is, with the breast and backbones removed. This is done to make them easier to eat but most chefs agree that it also changes the flavor and degree of moistness. Quail cook quickly and may be prepared in a variety of ways-but simply butterflied and grilled with a little lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil lets you reap the most from the least.

Pheasant

Of all of the farm-raised game birds, the pheasant has been deemed one of the most valued. From the tables of the Roman Emperors and French aristocracy to the banquets of the noblemen of England, it has held a place of gastronomic history. The Caesar's served the bird with its elegant plumage and beaks and legs gilded. King Henry the VIII employed only his most trusted servants to take care of his flock and Philip Duke of Burgundy, in 1453, had his knights swear allegiance in front of his pheasants before going on the Crusades.

The ring-necked pheasant is the most common variety of these domestically raised birds and California is noted as one of its largest producers with its many farms. There they are raised on a corn and soy bean diet and harvested when they weigh between 2 and 3 pounds.

When preparing pheasant great care needs be taken to avoid over-cooking the mild flavored breast. The traditional technique describes roasting the bird until the breast of the bird is just starting to become opaque (just past pink), then removing the breasts to a warm plate and returning the carcass with the legs back into the oven or barbecue until they are medium well.

Goose

A bird of many celebrations, goose had been served to celebrate Saint Michael’s Day on September 29 in Germany and Christmas in England as Bob Cratchit’s famous family fed on this fleshy fowl. Saint Martins Day, November 11, was the traditional day for eating goose in Northern Europe as a punishment to the geese that gave away his farmyard-hiding place from the admirers who wanted him to be pope. The ancient Romans considered the goose to be sacred and valued them as watchdogs to warn them of coming barbarian invasions.

The Toulouse goose is the most common species that is domestically raised. These succulent birds are usually butchered before they are 9 months old and weigh about 8 to 12 pounds. A larger bird will serve 4 to 6 people. Geese do not need barding or larding (the adding of extra fat by inserting into the meat or under the skin) as they usually have a savory layer of fat. Geese may be roasted or barbecued much the same way, as you would cook a turkey, but watch for barbecue fires. * See duck

Duck

The most sumptuous and commonly used of all domesticated game birds is the duck. From tables of the Chinese Emperors to four-star restaurants of France, duck is a gastronomic mainstay. Its moist and juicy flesh without the gaminess of its relatives, make it a perfect foil for sauces of fall fruit - apples, pears and persimmons or in spring with cherries or in summer with berries. The recipes are endless. In China, duck rules. It is prepared in hundreds of ways and is the primary food animal.

In the United States the first farm-raised ducks theoretically arrived in San Francisco from China in 1873. These Peking ducks were on their way to New York, but about a dozen of them ended up on Northern California farms to become the basis of our modern duck farms. Since these birds were on their way to Long Island they became Long Island ducklings. Other popular and common varieties include the Muscovy duck, a large goose-like South American species, moulard-sterile offspring of the Muscovy and Peking duck, the French Rouen or smaller Nantais duck, Barbary-offspring of the Rouen and Muscovy and the English Aylesbury. All but the Muscovy are descendants of the Chinese Imperial Peking duck species. “Duckling” was once a strict description for birds under two months of age, now it includes duck aged six months or less.

The two most famous preparations of duck are the French and Chinese versions of “pressed duck.” In the French version the duck is roasted, and while still rare to medium rare, the meat is removed from the bones and the bones placed in a “duck press.” This wine-press-like machine then is used to extract the remaining blood and juices from which a sauce is made. In the Chinese version, the duck is boiled with star anise and ginger until the meat easily falls off of the bones. The meat is blended with water chestnut flour and some of the cooking broth to make a flat loaf on a large oval platter. This loaf is steamed, cooled, cut into chunks, and fried in peanut oil. It is usually served with plum sauce and cashews, almonds or peanuts.

Home preparation of duck is quite easy as long as you remember that a lot of fat will be rendered during the cooking process. This means that you should first score the entire duck by making small slashes over the skin of the bird. This helps to release the oils. Have a deep enough pan under the duck to collect the fat (save for making confit or sautéing) while roasting. Warning!!! Do not barbecue a domestic duck without taking these precautions. Precooking or de fatting before putting over an open flame will reduce any fire hazard.

Many recipes require the cooking of the breast of the fowl separately from the legs. In this instance, cook the legs ahead of time or simmer in duck fat until well done. Score the breast with a sharp knife and sauté in a hot pan that has been sprinkled with kosher salt. Place the breast into the pan and reduce the flame. The trick is to render most of the fat out of the breast and crisp the fat before turning over to cook the other side. When medium rare to rare, remove and slice thinly before serving. Cautionary note: all meats keep on cooking after you remove them from heat. For a medium rare result, remove the meat from a pan or oven while still rare to medium rare and let rest before slicing.

The method that I use most often is to remove the breasts and place the seasoned legs attached to the carcass in a 350° oven for two hours. I sauté the scored breasts in a small amount of oil until the skin is crispy and the meat is medium rare. For service I remove the legs from the carcass and fan the sliced breast meat on the plate.

Follow the recipes below that fit the bill and you won’t have to wing it - your guests and family will flock to the table and get down. 

Cumberland Sauce

This traditional sauce for game birds is delicious with all poultry.

Cumberland Sauce

Ingredients

1 orange - juice and zest

1 lemon  - juice and zest

1 c. red currant jelly

1 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 c. port

1 pinch cayenne pepper

Technique

Zest the orange and lemon, using a potato peeler or zesting tool. Take care not to use the white part of the rind. Blanch in boiling water for one minute and drain. Julienne into thin strips. Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan, bring to a simmer reduce by 1/2 and cool.

May be served warm or cold.

Quick and Easy Orange Sauce

Ingredients

1 small can of frozen concentrated orange juice (with pulp)

Soy sauce to taste

Honey or Agave syrup

Method

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and reduce until thickened

Brush on fowl during the last half hour of cooking.

Roast Quail wrapped in Bacon with Orange Pomegranate Sauce and Almond Couscous

For 4 people

Ingredients

8 quail or you could substitute 4 small game hens

4 slices thick sliced bacon

Sauce

Ingredients

½ medium yellow onion, diced fine

1 large clove garlic

2 tbls. Olive oil

1 tsp. fresh rosemary finely minced

1 c. pomegranate juice

1 c. zinfandel or other decent red wine – you can substitute wine with a red grape Verjus

1 c. orange juice concentrate thawed

Salt

Method

In a two-quart saucepan sauté the onion in olive oil until slightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat. Mix the pomegranate juice; wine, rosemary, and orange juice concentrate in a large bowl. Add the quail or game hens to the mixture and marinate for 30 minutes. Remove birds and pat dry. Wrap the quail in half a slice of the bacon or if using game hens use a whole slice per bird. Add the marinade to the saucepan and reduce over low heat until syrupy.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Turn the oven down to 375°F as the bird are placed in the oven. Roast the quail until bacon is browned and birds are firm, about 15 to 20 minutes. If using game hens use the same technique but they will take about 40 minutes. Pour sauce over the birds. Serve with the couscous and grilled endive or steamed broccolini.

Almond Couscous

Ingredients

1 c. couscous

1 c. water

½ tsp. salt

 ½ medium yellow onion, diced fine

½ c. slice almonds

2 tbsp. Olive oil

Method

Follow the recipe on the box for cooking the couscous. Sauté the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the almonds and cook for a few seconds longer. Mix with the cooked couscous.