Woodcock With Wine And Grapes

• 10 woodcock(or doves) cleaned and dressed
• 3-4 strips of bacon
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 3/4 to 1 cup flour
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup dry sauterne wine
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 3 carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 cups seedless grapes
• 1/2 cup orange juice

In large skillet, fry bacon until half-cooked. Remove bacon from pan and cut into 10 pieces. In same skillet, saute mushrooms. Remove, set aside.

In bowl, combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge each woodcock in seasoned flour. In skillet, brown woodcock.

Arrange woodcock in baking dish and place bacon pieces across each breast. Add broth, wine, celery, and carrots. Cover and bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Add grapes and mushrooms. Cover, and bake 15 minutes more.

Place woodcock on serving platter, garnish with mushrooms and grapes. Makes 6-8 servings.

Woodcock Supreme

• Woodcock breasts, fileted out
• Bacon
• Salt and pepper
• Green-skinned apples
• Butter
• Sugar

Sauce

• Bacon fat
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup chicken bouillon
• Flour to thicken

Wrap bacon around each 1/2 breast. Salt and pepper. Bake 12-15 minutes at 450 degrees F. or until bacon is almost crisp. Take out and keep warm. Slice apples, saute in butter, but do not let them get mushy. Add sugar to glaze them.

Make sauce by using bacon fat (pan drippings), brandy, and chicken bouillon. Thicken with flour.

Put woodcock on apples, pour sauce over and serve.

Woodcock Delight

• 4 breasts of woodcock
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/3 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 cups prepared wild rice

Prepare wild rice. While rice is cooking, bone and dice the woodcock breasts. Melt butter in small frying pan and add the bird. Brown the meat over low heat while stirring regularly. When browned, but still moist, pour red wine over the meat. Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes. Add starch to thicken the sauce that is made. When sauce is desired thickness, serve the woodcock over the rice. Serves 2.

Fried Woodcock

(also good for squirrel)

• 3-4 woodcock
• Flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1/2 cup water

Cut woodcock into serving pieces. Mix flour salt and pepper and coat each piece with it. Fry quickly over high heat to brown the outside and retain the moisture of the meat inside. Lower heat, add marjoram, onion, celery and water. simmer 1 hour adding water if necessary to prevent burning. Serves 2.

Broiled Woodcock

• Woodcock
• Thin slices of salt pork or bacon

Clean bird and wrap in thin slices of salt pork or bacon. Broil at moderate heat (350 degrees F.) for about 15 minutes, turning often. Serve on toast with wild rice and currant, or wild-plum jelly.

Woodcock Supreme

"Some upland hunters don't enjoy eating woodcock because the meat can taste like liver. This recipe eliminates the liver taste while adding colorful cooking". (John O. Cartier--Ludington Mi.)

• 2 Tbslps. butter or margarine
• 4 boneless, skinless whole woodcock breasts (2-3 oz. each), split in half
• 1 small green pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh morel mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 3 Tblsps. red currant jelly
• 1 Tblsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tblsp. cold water
• 1/4 tsp. salt

In 10-inch skillet, melt margarine over medium heat. Add breast halves. Cokk 4-6 minutes, or just until meat is browned, turning over once. Add pepper, onions and mushrooms. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or unitl vegetables are tender-crisp, stirring occasionally.

Add remaining ingredients. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until jelly melts and mixture is thickened and translucent, stirring frequently. Serve over cooked white or wild rice, if desired. Yield: 2 servings.

Source: America's Favorite Wild Game Recipes