DELICIOUS WAYS OF SERVING NEW ZEALAND GAME

Chronicle (Levin), 15 May 1947, Page 8

DELICIOUS WAYS OF SERVING NEW ZEALAND GAME

(Contributed by tlie Sarah Anne Kiiodes Fellowship in Honie 'Science.) ■

Many a sportsman will have been ' ' iii position" befO're sunrise on Saturday, May 3, for the opening of 'the 194: snootihg seasori. This year the seasori promiges to be a good oue and prou; ably on Saturday evening many • ' ' limit oags" will have been brought in, com. prising chieflyof wild duck, pheasarii and quail, the mgst'common of the NeW. Zealahd game birds. However, before these birds maae they: appearahce on the table they have to uhdergo a considerable amount oi preparation -so that their flavour can t'ully be appreciated. Game birds are prepared like domestic poultry toi cooking and eating, but require siigritly different handling directly follovviiig slaughter. In cool weather game is hung in the open, in a breez-y spot aua carefully protected from flies. Game is "high" when the tail feathers can oe plucked easily. Most people in N eW Zealand preffer the flavour of ganie slightly under the "high" stage. Game should be plucked by hand, and singeb only when necessary. Good ganie birds should have soft feet and pliable bills. Small birds such as quail. are serveu whole but the larger birds are earved at the table similarly to domestic Dirds. A small carving knife with a 5-7 incn blade should be used for carving game. To serve pheasant' -attractively and m the traditional manner the, tail plumage is soinetimes arranged around the piafcter on the cloth. (The plumage has previously been eleansed by pouring boiling water through the tail feathers and shaken dry.) Roast Wild Duck. Singe, clean, wash ayd dry as for any fowl; rub inside with sa.lt -and place a small onion or apple in the eavity. Thk bird may be stuffed with a savoury stuffing or mashed potatoes highly seasoned with onions. Truss by folding tne wings back and pressing the tips against the back. Press thighs close to the body, tie the ends of the legs co' gether with string and bring it dowh around the tail piece leaving two enaa. TlTen turn the bird over on breast ana bring each end of string forward over the front and tip of one of the wingsand across the back to the other wmg, then tie ends seeurely in the middle ot the back. Remove all string aria skewers before serving. (This i'S done in a similar manner for all birds.) Place bird in a pan with drippmg; lay slice of bacon over breast and bane in.an oven 325deg. to 350deg. uiitii done, aeconling to the sizfe Of the bird. Baste occasionally. Serve with gravy made from dfippi.hgs in the pan aria seasoufed with dry musfard. A trirc jelly, such as currant or crab apple, should be served also. Real lovers of wild duck may preter roast duck so ra ro that the red juices uoze out on carving. For rare duca balce in a very hot . oven (450deg. to oOOdeg.) for 15-20' mlnuteS, bastmg every flve minutes with a mixtiire Oi hot water and butter. Roast Pheasant. Similar method to roast wild duck. Braised Pheasant. Clean pheasant, disjoint and cut in pieces to. serve; roll in seasoned flour. saute in bacon fat in a heavy frymg pan. Add 4 slices of chopped bacon,- 4 small carrots, 4 stalks of celeiw, 1 lafge onion chopped, sprig of thyme, 2 tabic spoons chopped parsley and 1 cup bi game stock or water. Simmer in a covered sancepan for half an hour. Smothered Pheasant. Cut pheasant in pieces fo-r serving; roll in seasoned flodr and saufe in fai until well brovvned. Add 1 cup of miin and simmer in covered saucepan for hour, or until tender, adding mo^e milk if necessary and turning oeca sionally. ilay be baked covered in a moderate oven (350deg.) for hour. Serve on hot dish with gravy made from liquid left in pan. . Roast Quail. Dress, clean, truss and rub the biras with lard. Place on a rack. in a smaii shallow pan. Rub with salt, brusli ovfer With melted butter or dripping, dredge with flour, and surround with triiiimmgs of bacon fat. Bak-e 15-2p minutes in a hot oven (4d0deg;)y bastihg often. Re,nio ve string and. ' skp w^is, | af Qdp,a bread saucd attd-^pjdnkli^^Ttli coarse browned breaderumbs. Quail Pies. Remove breasts and legs from birds, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour and saute in butter or dripping. To the fat in the pan add 3 slieed carrots, stalk of celery ehopp'ea, 1 onion sliced, parsley and peppercorns and cook for 5 minutes. Separate tlie back of the birds, cover with coid water, add the vegetables and cook rIowIv fnr 1 Hour. Drain stock from

vegetables ahd thickeri. with flour diluted with enougli cdld water to pour easily. Season with salt, pepper, lernon juice or sherry if preferred. A liftle butter may be added if the mixturd la not sufficieritly. fieh. Allbw.l bird to each individuai dish, add the preparea sauce until well moist and eover with plain or puff pdStry. Makfe 2 incisions in the pastry through whieh the fe'gs of the bird should extend. Bake 3.0 minutes in hot over (450deg.) or untii slightly browned. Stuffing for Game. Rtuffing used for game is a matter of individuai taste, but it is generany agreed that strong flaVoured ganubirds requirfe a simple sfuflfing. So'rhetimes onions and celery are stuffed inr.u strong flavoured birds to abfforb ana modify the flavour and are thfen discarded.