Chukar Au Vin Works, Too

Today looks about how we feel… gloomy and doomy.

Winter dormancy beneath the storm.

It was so wet I opted for dried thyme so I wouldn’t have to step outside. Even the dog refused to do her business (we’ll see how long that lasts).

Another good day for experimenting in the kitchen with chukar. Today’s choice: stewed in wine, because one of the chukars had been slightly overshot, and the meat was already torn into all sorts of pieces.

We’re suckers for anything cooked with wine; we figured chukar should be no different. I think next time, I’ll cut up the carrot in larger chunks so they photograph better, but overall, we think the end result was pretty good. Because chukar meat cooks so quickly, this didn’t take long at all, either. [K]

On the RGB iTunes shuffle: La Vie En Rose, Edith Piaf.

Click here to view the printable version of this recipe.

Stewed Chukar with Smashed Potatoes

~ Serves ~

2

~ Ingredients ~

• 6-7 oz. chukar meat (1 whole chukar)
• 1 slice bacon
• ¼ cup flour + kosher salt and pepper
• ½ carrot
• ½ celery stalk
• ½ small onion
• 1 small garlic clove
• ½ tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tbsp. Cognac
• ½ cup beef broth
• ¼ cup dry red wine
• ½ tbsp. tomato paste
• 4 oz. fresh mushrooms
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• Grind of salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ recipe smashed potatoes
• Handful Italian parsley
• Garnish: crème fraîche

~ Preparation ~

Preparation Time: 30-45 minutes

1. Start cooking smashed potatoes. Do this in between preparing chukar stew.
2. Inspect chukar for stray bullets (remove if found) and wash thoroughly, picking through any leftover feathers.
3. Cut away chukar breasts from ribs; cut away leg bones from legs. Chop up breast and leg meat into bite-sized pieces. Save neck and back bones for another use. Pat dry all meat pieces with paper towel.
4. Dice onion, carrot and celery into equal sized cubes.
5. Heat small / 1-qt saucier and cook bacon. Meanwhile, toss the chukar meat in flour, salt and pepper. When the bacon is cooked, set aside on paper towel to cool; and use same pot to brown chukar on add sides (add a little olive oil into the pot if there isn’t enough bacon grease), approx. 5 minutes.
6. When meat is cooked, set aside and use same pan to sauté onion, carrot and celery until cooked through; about 5 minutes (add a little olive oil into the pot if there isn’t enough bacon grease).
7. Press one clove of garlic into the pot and add thyme; cook for one more minute.
8. Add Cognac, stand back, and immediately ignite with long match stick. Once flames die out, add red wine, beef broth and tomato paste. Cover pot and return to low simmer.
9. Scrub mushrooms, de-stem and thinly slice.
10. In a sauté pan, heat butter, add salt and pepper and sauté mushroom over medium heat until browned, about 8 minutes. Turn off heat for stew and add mushrooms.
11. Rinse parsley and pick off whole leaves. Add leaves to stew and stir to wilt.
12. In two bowls, ladle smashed potatoes with stew on top; garnish with crème fraîche and serve immediately.

Nutrition content per serving: 444 calories, 27g carbs, 34g protein, 23g fat, 3.5g fiber

Cost per serving: $ 1.24

Source: Rustic Garden Bistro

What else can one stew with wine?