joseph@uunet.uu.net (04/16/91)
A couple of weks ago someone was asking about ways to prepare dove so that it was edible. Well...I found a book in Pop's library that had some suggestions for cooking dove. If you read all four, you'll notice that spices and Worcestershore sauce (capable of making a wooden park bench edible) are used often. My biggest problem with cooking dove is getting them in the first place. If I'm not there on opening day forget it. Those little things go jetting around with errattic flight patterns. :-) Good luck and let us know how these turn out, if you try them (this fall). -Joseph Crunk -------------------------------------------------------------------------- BAKED MOURNING OR WHITE-WINGED DOVE 2 or 3 dovers per serving Marjoram (spice?) Salt cooking oil Pepper 1/2 cup applesauce per serving Oregano After the doves are thoroughly cleaned, sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, and marjoram. Place in a heavy skillet and brown in a small amount of cooking oil. Remove from the skillet and prepare a moist cornbread dressing, using applesauce in place of water. Spread a layer of dressing in a baking pan and place the birds on top, in such a manner that there will be only one layer. Place the rest of the dressing around or over the birds. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees for 45 min. Test the birds with a fork; if they are not tender, bake a little longer. Serve with buttered asparagus tips, yams and pineapple-cream cheese salad, with lemon pie for dessert. FRIED MOURNING OR WHITE-WINGED DOVE 3 birds per serving (more if you're a pig) 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce cooking oil salt, pepper four These birds are better plucked, not skinned, and if the whole bird and not just the breast is used. This way, they not only are more moist but have a better flavor. When they have been thoroughly cleaned, wipe them dry, salt and pepper and dredge in flour. Place in approximately 1/4 inch of cooking oil in a heavy skillet and heat to 350 degrees. Place the doves in a skillet and drown on all sides. Add Worcestershire sauce and enough water to make a liquid about 1/2 inch deep. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer about 30 min or until tender. Remove the doves, stir two teaspoons of flour into one cup of water, and pour this into the skillet to make gravey. Stir constantly until it is done. Serve with fluffy steamed rice, green beans, hot biscuits, and a salad of lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes. For dessert we suggest spice cake or fresh fruit slices. DOVE POT PIE 10 doves, cleaned 1 small green pepper 3 carrots 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 3 medium-size potatoes cooking oil 1 small can string beans salt, pepper 1/2 teaspoon sweet basil oregano 1 can of ten biscuits,or make your own flour 6 green onions Salt and pepper the doves generously, sprinkle with oregano and dredge in flour. Sear on all sides in a heavy skillet over medium fire, cooking for about 15 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce and onions. Before the onions are brown, pour in enough water to cover the birds, and add sweet basil and green pepper cut into shreds. Then cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Prepare the rest of the vegetables by cutting them into bite-sized pieces, add to the pot and cook fifteen minutes. Place the biscuits on top, moistening them on each side with the juice in the pot. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees until the biscuits are browned. Ten birds will serve four hungry people, and you will have a complete meal in one pot. (I'd love to see the four of you eating out of this one pot :-) ) LA PALOMA MEXICO (Dove, Mexican Style) 6 doves (three each for two eaters) 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1/4 teaspoon marjoram 1 small can tomatoe sauce 1/4 teaspoon oregano 1/2 cup diced onion 1/8 teaspoon cumin 2 oz. green chilies, chopped Worchestershire sauce Clean the doves thoroughly, salt, pepper, and roll in flour. Brown in a heavy skillet to which you have added a little cooking oil. Add the onions and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and cook two minutes, stirring constantly. Now, add the rest of the ingredients and enough water to cover the birds. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Serve with brown or white rice and a green vegetable. As a rule, dove cooked this way is so tender that the meat falls off of the bone.