In Season: Beyond the Usual Bird

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IN SEASON

Beyond the Usual Bird

( Non-Turkey Alternatives to Celebrate Thanksgiving )

by KATHRYN O’MALLEY

Turn to any list of foods that help you fall asleep, and you’ll find turkey, with its sleep-inducing amino acids, somewhere at the very top. But the last thing you want to do this holiday season is put your guests to sleep. If you’re ready to try something new and venture beyond the traditional bird, we’ve got just the right alternatives to liven up your dinner party. From Melissa Clark’s Cider-Braised Pheasant with Pearl Onions and Apples to Laura Calder’s Roasted Quail with Grapes, each dish makes for a wonderfully festive and deliciously satisfying centerpiece to surround with all your favorite fixings.

Cider-Braised Pheasant with Pearl Onions and Apples

View Melissa Clark’s recipe on page 56 »

October November

When it comes to cooking with game birds, don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. As Melissa Clark, New York Times food columnist and author of over 30 cookbooks, so aptly puts it, “A bird is a bird is a bird—whether we are talking chicken or quail or wild duck. Just follow the recipe and then you’ll find that the hardest thing about cooking game is tracking it down.”

Game birds can be found at many farmer’s markets and high-end butchers, but be sure to place your order well in advance to ensure availability; alternatively, they can easily be purchased online.

“Pheasant is very mild, like a cross between chicken and turkey. It’s a delicious and overlooked bird.”

– MELISSA CLARK

If you’re short on time and have a smaller group to feed, quail might just be the bird for you.

Not only does their dainty size make them easy to handle and quick to cook up, but as Laura Calder—television host and bestselling cookbook author—describes to us, they are “festive little things: the fact that they go so well with deep flavors like fruits or braised mushrooms makes them great for celebrations.”

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October November

Roasted Quail with Grapes

View Laura Calder’s recipe on page 58 »

Quail is an excellent option for small gatherings where you can serve one bird per person. The meat is tender, juicy and non-gamey, pairing perfectly with fresh, sweet grapes and other fruits.

A regular feature at fine-dining establishments, duck is far easier to work with than one might imagine.

Take a dip into fancy-pants waters with Melissa Clark’s honey-lacquered duck, a deep golden roast with rosy meat and crisp, burnished skin. Place your favorite produce—think thick-sliced apples, onions and potatoes—at the bottom of the roasting pan and let it caramelize beneath the bird. Or, forgo the fruits and veggies and save the rendered duck fat— this stuff is pure gold. Refrigerate the fat in a clean, sealed container and use it for frying extra-crispy potatoes, working into tart crusts or making confit.

Honey-Roasted Duck

View Melissa Clark’s recipe on page 59 »

honey-roasted duck

Duck isn’t reserved for reservations-only restaurants. Melissa Clark’s Honey-Roasted Duck is impressive and accessible.

duck salad

Let’s be honest: No one likes cooking the day after an elaborate dinner, but that doesn’t mean your post-party meals have to suffer. Leftover duck is great atop a simple salad of mixed greens, vinaigrette, cannellini beans or plump dried fruit.