Rare Birds

For those who think turkey is the most exotic bird on their menu,  it;s time to discover game birds. These are wonderful and also very flavorful alternatives to the usual poultry choices. They can be roasted or baked . They can even be made into burgers and wings.
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If you‘re having qualms about cooking wild birds., then start with the tame duck or even Cornish game hen. Duck is easy to make, and delicious roasted. It can just be served with a sprinkling of sea salt and pepper or glazed a l’orange style. You can also try your hand at Peking duck or even grilled, duck. The meat is a little fattier than regular chicken and turkey and might come off as oily or greasy. Another choice is Cornish game hen which are basically a miniature chicken. They can be infused with lemon and rosemary or be glazed with a fruit based glaze for a lovely lacquered look. These too can be roasted and served with a wild rice or some new potatoes.

For the more adventurous there are pheasant, partridge and grouse. The first can be bought at specialty stores in the US where the second is more popular in the UK, primarily England and Scotland.Pheasant and partridge have a taste similar to both chicken and turkey, with partridge being the gamier of the two. Grouse tastes like them but it can be dry and stringy.Most chefs recommend basting it in butter to give the mear  a juicier, richer flavor. Any of these can be  either roasted grilled or slow cooked.  They can also be cut up and make into stews or even bits for grilling. Most chefs, both home and professional serve two or three of them roasted , with sidess uch as rice pilaf or possibly egg noodles in a creamy sauce. You can also have them with root veggies , similar to an English countryside dinner.

Try a different type of bird if you're tired of the usual chicken or turkey. A game bird suits the bill nicely and provides you with  an interesting taste. They're far from being just being ordinary - they're a different breed worth trying.,