by Adam Berkelmans, recipe and images
This is a delicious and hearty dish to make with grouse. I find the flavor of the grouse stands up much better to a green variety of chili, rather than red, where the delicate flavor of the grouse can easily be lost.Â
You can also make this dish with green tomatoes pulled off the vine before the first frost. Follow the same directions, replacing the tomatillos with the green tomatoes. The dish will have a slightly different flavor, but maintain a similar texture and tastiness!
Serves: 4
Time to make: 3 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 ruffed grouseÂ
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked and halved
- 1 large white onion, trimmed, peeled and cut into eight wedges
- 2 poblanos or 1 large green bell pepper or 3 hatch chiles, halved and cored
- 1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, halved lengthwise
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro stems
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves + more to garnish
- 1 teaspoon cuminÂ
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce
- Salt to taste
- Avocado and lime slices to garnish
Preparation:
Cover the birds in a large pot with water and bring to a strong simmer, then reduce to a low simmer. Simmer for two hours, or until meat is falling off the bones.
Remove the bird(s) and set aside to cool, then increase the heat to a boil and reduce the liquid down to about two cups.
Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with foil and add the tomatillos, onions, jalapeños and green peppers/poblanos skin side up. Move an oven rack directly under the broiler and turn broiler to high. Broil vegetables until you see charring, about eight to 10 minutes.
Transfer the peppers to a cutting board to cool, and add the rest of the vegetables as well as the garlic and cilantro stems to the liquid and bring to a simmer.
Once peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off skins, then add to the pot.
Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool.
Meanwhile, remove all meat from bird(s), shred and discard bones.
Add the liquid, vegetables and cilantro leaves to a blender or use a powerful immersion blender until smooth.
Pour back into the pot and add the meat. Add the cumin, oregano, pepper, fish sauce or Worcestershire sauce and salt to taste.
Bring to a simmer to warm before serving.
Serve garnished with avocado, lime and cilantro leaves. This dish can be served with tortillas, rice or on its own. Enjoy!
Adam Berkelmans, also known as The Intrepid Eater, is a passionate ambassador for real food and a proponent of nose-to-tail eating. He spends his time in Eastern Ontario. When not cooking, he can be found hunting, fishing, foraging, gardening, reading, travelling and discovering new ways to find and eat food.
