WILD GAME COOKERY Hunting season’s on and the hunter’s good lady is torn between two sets of feelings: (1) appreciation of what free meat will do for her family budget and (2) consternation as to what to do with the birds or other wild game in order that they will reach the table hot and appetizing, nicely tamed with herbs and good cooking. | To help British Columbia hunters and home cooks make the most of the season’s bag of game, our Sun Cottage gives you these tested recipes. CARE OF WILD BIRDS: Birds should be cleaned immediately after shooting (even if you wish to hang them) to prevent intestinal waste from seeping through shot holes into the bird flesh. Pluck birds as soon as convenient. Cut off oil sac at tail base. To avoid tearing skin, dry- Pluck while still warm, pulling feathers downward and in the direction that they grow. Remove pinfeathers with tweezers. Singe down feathers with a lighted, twisted newspaper, being careful not to burn skin. Transport in such a manner that air can circulate. Refrigerate two to three days before cooking or freezing for later use. PLUCKING: It’s preferable to pluck wild birds as the skin adds much to the flavor and appearance and prevents the meat from drying out. Dry pluck or dip the bird into boiling water for a few seconds to loosen the feathers, (The paraffin wax method also used to remove feathers is satisfactory, but is expensive.) Birds can be skinned, if you wish, but such birds are best cooked with moist heat as ‘‘skinned’’ birds tend to dry out quickly. FREEZING: Game birds that you wish to put in your freézer or locker should be hung for 1 to 2 days before being wrapped for the freezer. Wrap in freezer-type paper or place in plastic bag. Place bag in pail of cold water (weight of water will push the air out of bag). Seal bag. TO COOK: recipe. GAME FLAVOR: Mallards and canvasbacks may have dined on rotten fish before shooting. Such birds have a really rank odor. This odor cannot be removed and it’s better to destroy them rather than to eat them. This odor and flavor is easily distinguished from the usual so-called ‘‘fishy’’ taste. Soak in salted water overnight. Soak in marinades or milk, Or simmer in water until tender (like cooking boiling fowl), Remove from water and cut up; then fry like chicken. This makes the meat quite soft but the gamey flavor and duck flavor are removed. Defrost in refrigerator and use your favorite TO COOK GAME BIRDS Soak birds, whole or disjointed, overnight in a marinade of 1 cup wine and 1 bottle beer. Next morning dry thoroughly and brown well in frying pan. Place in casserole. Add creamandsome of the marinade to cover birds. Add 2 quartered potatoes, 3 to 4 diced carrots, fresh parsley and 1 whole onion (optional). Simmer 1to11/2hours, Removebirds. Drain vegetables and place inside bird. Place birdinroasting pan. Brown in hot oven, 400 deg. F., for about 20 minutes. Thicken liquid but use only a little flour as the gravy should be thin. EASY CASSEROLE A quick tasty casserole can be made also with cream of mushroom soup instead of marinade. Brown the bird in pan first, then merely simmer 1 hour in soup in casserole on top of the stove. DUCK TO ROAST WILD DUCK (1) Soak cleaned, plucked bird in salty water overnight. Dry thoroughly, inside and out. Stuff with prunes and chopped onion. a with seasoned flour. Place fatty bacon strips across reast. Bake at 500 deg. F., for 15 minutes in uncovered pan for a ‘‘rare’’ bird. Or bake 500 deg. F., 15 minutes, then 350 deg. F., for another 30 minutes for ‘‘well-done” bird. Baste with dry wine, if desired. Remove the prunes and onion and discard them. The flavor of wild game permeates any stuffing. Serve a tart jelly with wild game, if desired, TO ROAST WILD DUCK (2) Duck should be served on the rare side. It needs constant basting during cooking with wine, orange juice or your favorite basting sauce. Place duck in roasting pan. Put pared apple in cavity. Roast uncovered in very hot oven. For mallards, allow 18 to 20 minutes per pound; for pintails and widgins about 15 to 18 minutes per pound; and for teals allow 12 to 15 minutes per pound in a very hot oven, 500 to 550 deg. F. TO ROAST WILD DUCK (3) Remove feathers and singe well. Wash and cover with salty water or milk and soak overnight. Drain, Fill with bread dressing, if desired. (Dressing takes on duck flavor.) Season with salt and pepper. Put in roasting pan. Add enough water to cover bottom of pan. Cook in moderately hot oven, 375 deg. F. to 400 deg. F. until brown. Baste often. Allow 20 minutes per pound and an extra 30 minutes. Thicken gravy before serving. WILD DUCK CASSEROLE Clean ducks as soon as shot. Use 2 mallards, 2 pintails, 3 widgins or 2 canvasbacks. Disjoint and rinse well in lightly Salted water. Dry well. Dredge in flour. Brown in hot fat. Brown 2 chopped onions and 1/2 green pepper, chopped. Place duck in casserole. Add small chopped garlic clove, 1 tin consomme or 1/2 tin consomme and 1/2 cup grape wine. Season with 1/2 teaspoon dry ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer in slow oven, 300 deg. F., for 2 hours. Serve immediately, if desired. This casserole is better cooled, refrigerated and reheated the next day. Thicken the gravy, if desired. BRAISED DUCK This method is good for a duck whose age leaves some- thing to be desired. Cut the birdsin pieces and rub with flour. Cook in butter or shortening until lightly browned. Add 1 cup white table wine, 1 bay leaf, 2 juniper berries (available at drug stores), 1 small onion, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 sprig parsley, and 3 peppercorns for every 2 ducks. Cover and cook slowly until tender. Remove duck pieces to a platter. Strain sauce, correct seasoning, and pour over the duck. Surround with sauerkraut simmered for 2 hours in white table wine (1 cup wine to each pint of sauerkraut); season with salt and pepper. DUCK A L’ORANGE Braise duck as above, but omit juniper berries. Strain sauce, and to it add the juice and shredded peel of 2 oranges. Pour back on the duck, heat, and serve garnished with sliced peeled oranges.