Grouse ravioli

[calgarychef]

So we went out a couple of weeks ago and I was happy to shoot a couple ruffles witht the old .22. So two grouse is only a meal for one person but not if you make them into ravioli!

I ground them with cooked shallots and a bit of celery and also threw in a handful of rehydrated morels that I picked with a forum member here a spring or two ago. Added salt and pepper thyme, and rosemary- nothing else as I wanted to keep the flavour fresh and unsullied.

Anyway I'd like to report that these little raviolis are wonderful indeed ba pain in the keester to make.

[58thecat]

I was going to say all that work...but it's the journey I guess that counts...in one hole out the other

[calgarychef]

Some things are a lot of work but when I eat them I forget about the work involved. I've been wanting to make pheasant ravioli of awhile but I can't seem to connect with a pheasant! I used to get beautiful homemade ravioli in a little Italian restaurant in England, they'd pick their own mushrooms too and it was a meal made in heaven.

[ak-71]

Originally Posted by calgarychef

Some things are a lot of work but when I eat them I forget about the work involved. I've been wanting to make pheasant ravioli of awhile but I can't seem to connect with a pheasant! I used to get beautiful homemade ravioli in a little Italian restaurant in England, they'd pick their own mushrooms too and it was a meal made in heaven.

Judging by your username you found your true calling . It sounds tasty.
I'd never go through all these cooking trouble for a meal. Everything I catch or harvest tastes great to me though even in a simplest dishes, but I guess, it somehow connects to me on some different level.

[calgarychef]

I agree it doesn't always have to be complicated. The best rabbit I ever had was wrapped in foil with salt, pepper and butter. I put it in the corner of our barrel stove buried in the ashes overnight and had it for breakfast.

[Mountain Guy]

That sounds excellent....but with all those strong flavors you added do you still get the grouse flavor?If you still get the unique ruffie flavor then it would be a hit I bet

[Soulcousin]

Originally Posted by Mountain Guy

That sounds excellent....but with all those strong flavors you added do you still get the grouse flavor?If you still get the unique ruffie flavor then it would be a hit I bet

Celery would be the only ingredient I would worry about overpowering the palate. Those others would be subtle yet complimentary.

Sounds yummy

[calgarychef]

I was a little hesitant with the celery but it worked out and the flavour of the grouse carries through well.

As a side note, I made stock with the bones, not many bones to be sure from a couple of grouse but it gave me a cup of excellent stock. I'm starting to think about stock more and more with game animals. I made a couple gallons of brown stock with a deer last fall and turned it into Demi-glacé and boy am I glad I did it too. I froze them in little chunks all wrapped in foil so it'll last a couple years if necessary. I think I'll go through the work to save some duck bones next year I'm thinking about onion soup with duck stock.