Gourmets consider woodcocks to be the most delicious of all game birds. The meat of these tiny birds is rich in protein and has a unique taste and strong aroma. Woodcocks are fried over an open fire and in a pan, baked, stewed, soups are made from them, served both as a snack and as a main course.
How woodcocks are cooked
Woodcock is a delicacy for kings and tycoons. Over the centuries, this tiny bird has been covered with many secrets. Since the migration routes of woodcocks became known only in the 18th century, for a long time people believed that birds spend their "holidays" either on the moon or buried in the sand on the beach. In woodcocks, unlike all other birds, the meat on the legs is white, and on the breast it is dark. Therefore, and also because of the remarkable long and thin beak, the American Indians believed that the gods blinded woodcocks from pieces left over from the "making" of other birds.
Before cooking, freshly shot birds are weighed for 3-4 days (this is a prerequisite), then plucked. To deal with this easier, boil a large pot of water and put the carcass in boiling water for a few seconds. After that, the feathers will rip out with ease. When gutting woodcocks, only the stomach is taken out, in which there may be sand. The rest of the insides are boiled, stewed or baked with the bird. After cooking, they are usually taken out and served as a paste on toast or added to a sauce.
The classic method of feeding a bird is with its head and beak. For this, the head is not only plucked, but the eyes are also removed. Long and thin beak, like a needle, "stitch" the carcass, hiding its head under the wing. If there is no inclination to such exercises, the head and beak can simply be tied to the carcass with culinary threads. A delicious delicacy is extracted from the skull of the finished bird - the brain.
Small birds cook very quickly - in 10-15 minutes. However, their meat remains slightly pink. In order not to dry out, cover the breast with a piece of bacon or bacon when baking. If you are preparing an appetizer, one bird per serving is enough; when preparing the main course, count on one and a half to two carcasses per person.
A simple recipe for woodcocks with mashed beans
If woodcocks are served as a main course, they are usually accompanied by mashed potatoes, polenta, stewed cabbage, and wild rice. This recipe is garnished with mashed beans.
You will need:
- 2 woodcock carcasses;
- 4 sprigs of thyme;
- 10 juniper berries;
- ½ and 2 thick lemon slices;
- 3 cloves of garlic;
- 6 slices of bacon;
- 10 g butter;
- salt and freshly ground black pepper;
- olive oil;
- 400 g beans canned in their own juice;
- 3 tbsp. tablespoons of chicken broth.
Rinse the woodcocks and pat dry with a paper tea towel. In the cavity of each carcass, put half the oil, a slice of lemon, two sprigs of thyme, five juniper berries and half a peeled garlic clove. Wrap the birds' heads under the wing, rub with salt and pepper, wrap the carcasses with bacon slices and place the woodcocks on a baking dish. Place in an oven preheated to 190 ° C and bake for about 15 minutes.
Pour the oil into a small saucepan. Chop the garlic cloves and fry them. Add the canned beans after draining the excess liquid. Add the broth and simmer for about 5 minutes, then squeeze the lemon juice into the puree. Stir and heat for a few more minutes. Purée.
Serve with the sauce. For him you will need:
- 150 ml chicken or beef broth;
- 100 ml port wine;
- 25 ml of brandy;
- 10 crushed juniper berries;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of chopped dried porcini mushrooms;
- ½ red onion head;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of butter;
- salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Chop the onion into small cubes. Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the onion until soft. Pour in the port and simmer until the sauce has boiled down to a syrupy consistency. Add the juniper berries and mushrooms, pour in the cognac and cook the sauce over low heat until it is half boiled down.
Woodcocks with red cabbage and rosti cakes
Rosti or Rösti - Swiss potato tortillas, crispy and crispy. They will go well with soft and flavorful woodcock meats. Since braised red cabbage is also served in this recipe, cooking should start with it. You will need:
- 1 small head of red cabbage;
- 1 head of red onion;
- 70 g soft brown sugar;
- 70 ml of apple cider vinegar;
- 150 ml of red wine;
- 1 cinnamon stick;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of butter.
Cut the head of cabbage in half and cut the stalk, finely chop the cabbage. Cut the onion into small cubes. Melt the oil in a saucepan and lightly fry the onions, add cabbage, pour in vinegar and wine, add cinnamon and sugar. Wait for the liquid to boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer the cabbage, covered, for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. After half an hour, remove the lid and simmer the cabbage for about 30 minutes.
Take care of poultry and cakes. You will need:
- 2 woodcock carcasses;
- 125 g butter;
- 100 g chicken liver;
- 1 clove of garlic;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of thyme leaves;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of finely ground salt;
- 2 large potatoes;
- 100 ml of beef broth;
- 100 ml port wine;
- 50 g diced smoked bacon;
- 2 slices of toast bread.
Remove the entrails from the woodcocks, discard the hard stomach, set aside the rest. Peel the chicken liver and cut into pieces. Melt 25 g butter in a skillet and quickly sauté the liver and insides of the woodcocks, season with salt, pepper and a few thyme leaves. Fry, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Place in a blender and puree.
Heat the oven to 200 ° C. Fold woodcock carcasses with beak inward. Melt 25 g of butter and, using a silicone brush, apply it to the bird, sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Place the woodcocks in a baking dish and place in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes.
Melt the remaining butter. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and grate on a coarse grater, add oil, season with salt and pepper and stir. Fry the rosti in a preheated and oiled skillet. You should have two medium cakes.
Combine the broth with the port, add the bacon, and cook the sauce until it’s half boiled down. Toast the bread.
This interesting recipe requires a special presentation. Put the cabbage on a plate, put the rosta on the side and pour over the sauce, then put the woodcocks, on the other side, put the fried toast with offal pate.
Deep-fried woodcock recipe
Delicacy woodcocks may well become an ordinary homemade beer snack. To do this, it will be enough to cook the birds in deep fat. You will need:
- 9 gutted woodcocks;
- 4 cups wheat flour
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of caraway seeds;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of smoked ground paprika;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of dry mustard;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of finely ground salt;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of celery seeds;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of ground black pepper;
- 1 liter buttermilk
- vegetable oil for deep fat.
Cut the bird carcasses into four parts - two breasts and two legs. Dissolve a tablespoon of salt in buttermilk, add woodcocks and leave for 2-4 hours. Heat oil in a deep fryer. Combine flour and spices. Take out the bird piece by piece and roll in flour, shaking off excess. Place the bird in a special basket and dip in boiling oil. Cook for 1 ½ -2 minutes, until crispy. Serve with hot sauce.
Scottish "woodcock": a step-by-step recipe
Not everyone succeeds in trying this delicious bird. But you can cook the Scottish "woodcock" from the available products. You will need:
- 4 sticks of celery;
- 3 tbsp. tablespoons of butter;
- 4 chicken eggs;
- 4 slices of bread;
- 1 red chili
- 140 g anchovies;
- 3 teaspoons of bread crumbs;
- a pinch of cayenne pepper;
- a pinch of ground white pepper;
- a pinch of nutmeg.
Drain the excess oil from the anchovy fillet jar. Grind the fillets with a blender. Add cayenne and white pepper, nutmeg and breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons butter. Mix well. Remove the seeds from the pepper and finely chop the pulp.
Chop the celery, leave the leaves intact. Melt the remaining butter in a small skillet. Add celery and simmer for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork or whisk. Pour into skillet and cook, stirring occasionally with a cooking spatula. You should have a scramble egg analogue.
Make bread in a toaster. Spread anchovy paste over each toast and place a few spoonfuls of the egg mixture. Garnish with paprika and celery leaves.
