We had grouse for dinner last night. Here’s how I prepared it – really yummy!

Soak the grouse breast in milk for about an hour.

Cut it into strips of similar size.

Dredge the strips in a combination of all-purpose flour with salt and pepper.

Over medium heat, sauté the floured grouse pieces in a combination of olive oil and butter. Add some chopped garlic and chopped fresh parsley and a little more salt and pepper.

Splash in a generous amount of dry vermouth and let the liquid reduce by half.

Turn down the heat and slowly add about 1 c. of heavy cream, stirring until it thickens. Adjust salt as needed.

Serve over white or wild rice.  One grouse breast makes enough for two servings.

I forgot to get shallots and mushrooms but both would be great in this recipe. It tasted amazing with just the grouse and “cream sauce.”

Biff took Xupe hunting for grouse and woodcock today and they came back with birds – two woodcock and one grouse!  The weather changes have made conditions ideal for the woodcock, which migrate at this time of year. It’s hard to hunt for grouse too early in the fall, before some of the leaves have fallen, but the woods were good for hunting today.

That’s Ooly, from just the other day. She’s not ready for real hunting yet, just training with birds here at home.

Our “baby” is 4 months old! Ooly is confident, energetic, affectionate and has grown so much that we have to look twice at times to figure out if we’re looking at Finley or Ooly.  She swims in the ponds whenever Biff allows her to get down there and she hunts for frogs, toads and rabbit poops. She initiates a lot of rough and tumble play with Xupe and Finley and continues to hang out calmly with Chev. She’s been a delight and we are grateful for her.