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Holiday Birds—This Recipe is Great Any Time of the Year.

Cooks' Note

Lament the fact you didn’t get more birds. This recipe can easily be adapted to other game birds, such as pheasant or Cornish hen.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 dozen quail (or dove)
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
Salt to taste
1 cup stone-ground whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup bacon drippings
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup sliced white button mushrooms
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Preparation

  1. Rub the birds all over with oil and salt. Place them in a bag, and shake to coat with flour. Brown the birds in the bacon drippings, in batches if necessary, in a large, heavy (preferably cast-iron) skillet over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes, turning as needed for even browning. Remove the birds to a platter and stir the onions and mushrooms into the pan drippings. Stirring constantly, cook for 1 minute. Return the birds to the skillet. Add the wine. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the juices run clear when the birds are pricked with a fork, about 20 minutes, adding more wine if necessary. (Another method is to bake the birds in a heavy skillet with an ovenproof handle and covered in a 350-degree oven for almost 20 minutes.) Stir in the cream, and cook on the stove top until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes, turning the birds to coat evenly. Garnish with parsley.

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