The dove shoots thus far this season have been epic. For decades, I have been the invited guest of extremely close friends in the Mississippi delta to participate in what can only be described as a true homecoming every fall. It was here in the fertile flatlands where JH made his debut with a .410 by folding his first dove more than 25 years ago. If I remember correctly, someone shouted out “a star is born” as he scurried through dried sunflowers to pick up his quarry.
Gentlemen like Allan Grittman, Tucker Miller, and Clay Adcock, take as much pride in “growing” doves as they do their crops of soybeans, corn, and cotton. Their sunflower fields are manicured and cared for like no other. While cotton pickers and combines harvest their row crops, vintage side by sides and over and under shotguns are used to harvest the gray speedsters from skies overhead. It is truly a spectacle to behold and be a part of. Their generosity is not taken for granted and a lifetime of memories are in the making while friends gather on the turn rows to participate in the sport that defines not only what we are, but who we are.
Each year there are lifelong friendships born while in the dove field. Old stories from past hunts are re-visited and new ones are created. A cacophony of laughter abounds across the field as chip shots are missed, and memorable shots are made. For a brief moment, we are afforded an opportunity to put aside stress and worry from our intense professions and lives, while standing with friends in the fields of Helianthus. I’m confident the good Lord knew what he was doing when he created doves and sunflowers.
As enjoyable as the actual hunt is, the fun is not over when everyone leaves the field. The bounty soon to follow can be enjoyed the rest of the year, or at least until the supply of morsels are depleted from the freezer. If you plan accordingly, your cache of doves will last until just before the next season opens. This is easier said than done. Thank goodness for lengthy seasons and liberal bag limits, for theses delicacies are a staple for our families throughout the year. In fact, JH and I were on the same page the other evening when he called and asked what we were having for supper. I told him doves, and he replied, “me too.” So, the game began.
We agreed to share pictures of our creation from the field with each other and compare whose dinner looked the best. The recipes and preparation vary greatly so I thought it would be only fitting to share with you also, sorry, photos and recipes only, and invite you to vote on what intrigues you the most. This will only work if the photos make the column, so Jimmye, I’m depending on you.
John Hartley’s recipe is simple, for this cooking that is. His chosen dish for table fare was the long standing, time-tested, good ole southern fried doves. He started by soaking his birds in a brine overnight. The next day, he patted them dry and seasoned them with salt and heavy black pepper. To prepare them for the frying pan, he seasoned all-purpose flour with, you guessed it, salt and black pepper. There was no need for a multitude of seven secret spices to fry with, you can over do it in the kitchen. No egg wash was used to create a thick crust, remember we’re preparing birds, not crust. The birds were gently placed in the grease and fried to a golden brown, crispy on the outside, moist in the center.
To compliment his creation, you will notice bicolor sweet corn, fluffy white rice with doves on top, and biscuits and homemade gravy. Remember, this is a competition for the dove cooking, not the gravy. We’ll have this challenge another day. He sent me his finished product and I knew my work was cut out for me. I said that’s pretty good son, but as you remember the words by Charlie Daniels in his hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” I said “sit down in that chair and let me show you how it’s done.”
I also marinated my birds in a brine overnight. I guess we’re tied, but here’s where it changes. In a large crock pot, I added cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, chicken broth, and a healthy dose of black pepper. In a saucepan, I sauteed diced celery, green bell peppers, and a Vidalia onion, in a stick of butter, of course. Note, I sauteed the peppers and celery first until they became somewhat tender and translucent. I then added my onions and finished sauteing everything together. The onions don’t take as long as the peppers and celery and if you cook them together, your onions are too caramelized by the time the other ingredients are done. No extra charge for this tip. When the trinity is to my liking, I transfer the entire mixture, butter, and all, to the crock pot which has been turned on to begin warming the prior ingredients.
Now for the dove preparation. I lightly dust my doves with flour and just “brown” them in the same skillet I used for the veggies. It only takes a minute or two and when brown, I gently submerge each bird into the concoction that will evolve into a rich gravy. I want them to fall off the bone, so they will cook for six hours in the pot. As you now know, this is a process, but oh what rewards will be redeemed. My complimenting dishes, as you can see, are roasted brussels sprouts, long grain rice, with the doves and gravy placed on top. Of course, thin biscuits are a must. I did cheat just a bit with a friendly cabernet for “looks.”
So, what do you think? These are two entirely different recipes for the same wonderful game bird. What makes them even better are the memories of the hunt and the satisfaction of preparing the harvest from field to table. The kitchen sure smells good this time of year. Alas though, JH and I will have to get better at planning because he didn’t get to experience my prepared dish, nor did I get to partake of his. No worries, for we stood together in the field while we collected our birds, and we still have several more bags of doves in the freezer. There will be another time to cook together soon. Come to think of it, we have several more seasons left during this hunting season. We might even be able to scratch out another limit or two before it all ends, and we go back to work. We’re sure going to try.
Let me know what you think of our recipes and if you have a favorite way to prepare your harvest, give me a shout, I’d love to hear your story. Hope to hear from you soon. Until next time enjoy our woods and waters and remember, let’s leave it better than we found it.
