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A few weeks ago, I watched Gordon Ramsay, the foul-mouthed bad boy of the BBC, cook pigeon and squirrel on his television program. The Scottish-born three-star Michelin chef quickly advised viewers the pigeons he presents to his diners were not shot in Trafalgar Square.
Ramsay said they were wood pigeons, which can be wild or farm-raised. The squirrel idea sprung from the mind of Giles Coren, restaurant critic for The Times of London.
I like game birds and rabbit, but draw the line at the bushy-tailed gray squirrels that dot our city parks and backyards. My favorites are quail, squab and pheasant, which I find at Godshall’s in Reading Terminal Market.
In the delightful film "No Reservations," Catherine Zeta-Jones plays a chef famous for her quail in truffle sauce. As I watched her prepare this dish, I realized heady wild mushrooms could be substituted for the costly truffles.
Autumn and winter are high times for game birds, although quail is available year-round because it is farm-raised. Squab is larger and contains mostly dark meat. They are akin to chicken. Pheasant is delicious and can be used in any recipe that calls for quail or squab.
James Beard, the father of modern American cooking, wrote "Fowl and Game Bird Cookery." It was published 30 years ago, but I bet you can find a copy online. He also includes delightful recipes for chicken.
Squab with White Wine and Herbs
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons of butter
4 small squab, split down the back and flattened
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 large shallot, chopped
1-1/2 cups of dry white wine
Small handful of fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
1 small sprig of fresh tarragon, chopped
Directions:
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the squab and brown on both sides. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper. Add the shallot and wine and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cover, cooking for about 15 minutes.
Add the parsley and tarragon and cook uncovered for five minutes.
When the juices run clear, the squabs are done.
Serves four.
Braised Pheasant with Sauerkraut
Ingredients:
2 pounds of sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
2 cups of chicken stock
1 cup of dry white wine
1 teaspoon of juniper berries
1/2 teaspoon of caraway seeds
1 pheasant
4 tablespoons of butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the sauerkraut in a deep earthenware- or enamel-on-cast iron casserole. Stir in the stock, wine, berries and caraway. Cover and simmer for one hour in the oven.
Melt the butter in a large skillet and brown the pheasant evenly on all sides. Season with the salt and pepper. Place on top of the sauerkraut. Cover and bake until the pheasant is tender, about 45 minutes.
Serve on a hot platter surrounded by the sauerkraut.
Serves two.
Cicely Lucas’ Quail on Scrapple
Ingredients:
6 quail
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 pearl onions
1 stalk of celery, with leaves, cut into 6 pieces
6 strips of bacon
1 cup of chicken stock
6 slices of scrapple, sauteed
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Season the quail with the salt and pepper. Stuff each bird with one onion and one piece of the celery. Lay a piece of bacon over each breast.
Place the quail, breast side up, in a casserole. Roast for five minutes. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.
Turn the quail over and add the chicken stock. Roast for another 10 minutes, basting frequently.
Turn the quail breast side up and broil until brown, basting constantly, for only a few minutes. Do not overcook the quail.
Remove to a hot platter, arranging each quail on a slice of cooked scrapple. Garnish with the bacon.
In a saucepan, bring the pan juices to a boil. Season as needed and serve in a warmed sauceboat.
Serves three.
Note from Phyllis: Beard said Cicely Lucas owned a farmhouse in Bucks County.
The scrapple used here should be sliced very thin and sauteed until crisp.
