Alder Cone Smoked Grouse With Fern Root Glaze And Salal Sauce Recipe

• 2 Tbsp. Licorice fern root
• 2 Tbsp. Gewurztraminer icewine
• 3/4 c. Water
• 3 c. Dry alder cones
• 2 x Wild grouse breasts, bone in and skinless
• 1 1/3 c. Water
• 1 1/2 c. B.C. Pinot Blanc wine
• 3 1/2 c. Salal Berries
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Maple syrup
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Black peppercorns
• 8 x Juniper berries
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar

1. Harbour House on Vancouver Island.
2. Sinclair believes in local ingredients, freshness and learning about and using wild ingredients from the native peoples.
3. His restaurant has vegetable and herb gardens full of plants transplanted from the bush for use in the kitchen.
4. At Sooke, chefs prepare this dish with a salad of foraged wild greens and flowers: amaranth, chicory, chickweed, lamb's quarters, orache, shepherd's purse, and sorrel.
5. Alder: a deciduous tree, member of the birch family with woody cone like fruits.
6. Common in swamps and mountainous areas.
7. I am going to try black spruce cones- our commonest local tree.
8. (Update: this was a terrible idea- bitter tarry smoked taste) If which doesn't work I can fall back on store bought fruit wood chips or possibly do a Chinese Tea Smoke.- JW
9. Licorice Fern: I have no idea what it's geographic range is or possibly what flavor it's root would impart.
10. Based on it's name I am going to try diced Fennel bulb, Fennel seed or possibly a _wee_ bit of Star Anise stewed in Port instead.-JW
11. Salal Berries: Salal is a low up to 2 meter evergreen shrub of the Heath family native to California, B.C.
12. and Alaska with white to pink urn shaped flowers and round purple berries that turn black.
13. There are none locally so I will be experimenting with cranberries or possibly black currants.- JW
14. Directions:In a small covered sauce pan, gently simmer fern root in icewine and water for 20 minutes.
15. Pour into a glass jar, seal and let stand at room temp for 12 hrs.
16. Strain into a small saucepan and boil, uncovered, on high till reduced to a thick syrup.
17. Set aside.
18. Heat alder cones in a large aluminum foil lined sauce pan over high heat till they smoulder.
19. Reduce heat to low; place grouse breasts directly on top of the smouldering cones.
20. Lightly brush the breasts with the fern root glaze; cover pan tightly.
21. Smoke breasts for 3 hrs or possibly till cooked but not dry.
22. Remove the meat from the bone and serve with Juniper-Salal Berry Sauce.
23. For the sauce: Pour 1 c. water and the wine into the bottom of a per- forated double boiler.
24. Place the salal berries in the top section.
25. Cover; simmer gently for two hrs.
26. Gently press berries with a rubber spatula to extract remaining juice.
27. Throw away berries; reserving syrup in the bottom of the double boiler.
28. To the salal syrup, add in the maple syrup, peppercorns, juniper berries, remaining water and balsamic vinegar.
29. Bring to the boil and immediately remove from the heat; let stand an hour before returning to the heat.
30. Cook, uncovered, till slightly thickened.
31. Chill till needed.

root, icewine, water, cones, grouse breasts, water, wine, salal berries, maple syrup, black peppercorns, berries, balsamic vinegar

Taken from cookeatshare.com/recipes/alder-cone-smoked-grouse-with-fern-root-glaze-and-salal-sauce-63068 (may not work)