Posts tagged “hunting

bird hunting

Posted on May 14th, 2012

I’ve been out for a few days with Nick, a new hunting mate and his two amazing dogs, Jack and Louie. We walked over many wet field, the dogs getting on point once they’d hook a whiff of quail, and then we’d flush and shoot. I’m sure we walked many a mile, because by the end of the weekend my legs were weary from lifting them over the long wet grass and my arm was sore and tired from carrying my big Lanber 12 gauge. This season there isn’t as many birds around, so Nick regaled me with stories of his hunts last season. There was a seemingly endless supply of quail. But this year, whether it’s the availability of the right agricultural habitat…

sopressa wrapped quail legs and the peasant ragu

Posted on May 2nd, 2012

I’m booked in for a quail shoot soon and I can’t wait, it’s like Christmas for me. If I’m lucky I might bag a few more ducks and possibly a hare. But in the meantime I’ll cook what I have in the frozen larder already. I cooked some lovely quail and instead of wrapping the little legs in prosciutto or jamon I used a sopressa salami and now have a new favourite baked quail leg. A lot of people turn their noses up at quail and consider it nothing more than a fancy restaurant dining bird. Their loss really. I think it’s one of the best tasting wild birds available, and better than duck in many respects. The meat is more succulent and requires…