D is for Dove and Dark Chocolate

Dare I say it about my own food?

Yes.

Dinner was delicious.I don't want you to think that this meal was all chocolate, by dove I do mean the bird.

While me and the Mrs. were dating I always pushed her palette to taste new and different things. I still do it, but the difference between then and now is there is a lot less of me talking her into trying something new. "Just try it," is usually enough. Another thing that is different is I know when it is a loosing battle. There are just some things that my beloved will not eat. During the course of this project I knew that there would be times that she would not participate, and I would have to find other people to dine with. This was one of those times.

Instead of cooking for my wife, I cooked for my wife's family. I went over to the in-law's house and took over the kitchen. This was the first time that they were my guinea pigs, and I have to say they were really good sports.

Enough about my in-laws, let's talk about the food.

How in the world am I going to cook this dove? In a Dutch oven, of course. Since dove is wild game, I wanted to prepare it in a more rustic and "campy" way. I didn't want it to be a stretch to imagine preparing and eating this dish outside around a campfire. Now granted I did not cook this over an open fire, but the point is -with a cast iron Dutch oven, you could.
Here is how you do it.

Dove in a Dutch oven

• 1 pound of dove breasts
• 1 pound of hot Italian chicken sausage
• 2T Butter
• 1 large onion, sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup portabella mushrooms, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 pablano peppers, sliced
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 2 1/2T oregano
• 1T salt
• 2T black pepper
• olive oil

In your cast iron Dutch oven, coat the bottom of the pot with olive oil (~4-5T) and turn the stove on high heat. While your oil is getting ready, get your sausage ready. Cut the membranes holding the sausage links together and separate the meat. Once the oil is ready, drop in your sausage. and stir constantly so brown the meat. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon to leave the oil in the pan. Turn down the stove to medium heat and drop the dove breasts. Brown them on both sides, but you are not cooking them through. It takes about a minute on each side, and then remove the meat from the Dutch oven.

Pour out the olive oil and add new fresh oil along with some butter. When the new oil has heated in the pot, add the onions and mushrooms. Pour in the white wine and stir the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pot. Let the wine reduce by half (~5-7 minutes ) Add in the garlic and peppers and let cook for another 2 minutes. Put the meat back in along with the chicken stock, put the lid on the Dutch oven, and put it in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

...and now Dessert.

Before I begin, let me just say this dessert will change your life. Great, now how to make it.

Dark Chocolate "Ravioli"

• 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1T Half-and-Half
• 2 sheets of puff pastry
• 1 egg white
• 2T sugar

In a double boiler melt the chocolate, sour cream and stir in half-and-half until it is a thick paste consistency.
Unfold the puff pastry and cut into 12 pieces. (cut the square in thirds. cut the third in fourths)
Pierce one side of the pastry pieces with a fork. Spoon a bit of the chocolate on one piece and then place another pastry piece on top. Crimp the edges of the pastry with a fork and put them on a baking sheet. Brush the top of the "ravioli" with the egg white and sprinkle a little sugar on top. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Let cool before serving.

Enjoy!
-J