Dove Pot Pie

The mourning dove is the most hunted migratory game bird in North America, and dove hunting is a popular sport in many parts of the country. They fly at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour and juke like fighter pilots. This has earned them the nickname of “Grey Demons”, and make them quite challenging to hunt. They are also excellent table fare, and lend themselves perfectly to the heartiness of this pot pie recipe. There are also quite a few Eurasian collared doves to hunt. This non-native species is larger than our native mourning dove, and along with the distinctive black collar, its broad tail is squared off at the tip, rather than pointed like a Mourning Dove’s. In most states there is no limit on this prolific species, but as always check your local hunting regulations before hunting. They are larger and have much more meat on the bones than mourning doves.

Ingredients

• 1 puff pastry crust

Filling

• 1 pound of dove breast meat (about 15 large doves)
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups potato cubed into ½” cubes
• ¾ cup carrot chopped into similar sized chunks
• ¾ cup onion chopped to match
• 1 cup mushrooms chopped
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter split
• 2 tablespoons canola oil split
• 1/3 cup drained canned peas

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon “better than bullion” chicken base
• 2 cups half and half
• ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon celery seed
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 egg

Preparation Method
Thaw out pastry crust. Remove the meat from the breasts and cut into small bite sized pieces. (½” cubes) Salt and pepper lightly and dredge in the flour to coat fully and set aside.

Cube the potatoes, and chop the carrots, onions, and mushrooms. The key is to keep a uniformity in size in all the ingredients.

Heat a large frying pan with 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat. Add the floured dove meat and sauté 3-4 minutes, stirring to brown. Transfer to a greased 10” by 10” glass baking dish. Add another tablespoon of butter and tablespoon of canola oil to the frying pan and add the potatoes, onion, carrot, and mushrooms.  Sauté these over medium heat for another 4 minutes, salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked vegetables along with the drained peas to the baking dish.

In the same frying pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and stir in 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir constantly over medium heat until a light brown rue is created. Stir in the chicken base and gradually add the half & half. Then add the seasonings and sour cream. Mix together well and allow to thicken for a few minutes. Pour the sauce mixture over the meat and vegetables in the baking dish. Carefully stir the sauce in to completely coat everything, being careful not to smash the vegetables.

Roll the pastry crust until it is one inch wider than the pan and lay over the filling. Fold and flute the edges of the crust to fit inside the baking dish. Slice a few 2” long slits in the crust to vent steam as the pie cooks. Beat an egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl, and brush over the top of the crust to aid in browning.

Place the baking pan on a cookie sheet to catch any liquid that may spill out during cooking. Place on the center rack of a pre-heated 350 degree F oven. Bake for 25 minutes or so until the crust is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

This dish goes perfectly with a glass of spicy California Syrah. We are having a summer sale on all our wines that have been specifically picked to go with your wild game dinners. Check out the selection at wildgamewine.com for the ultimate in game and fish wine pairings.

These and other recipes can be found in the Outdoorsmen Adventure’s “Cooking Gone Wild” cookbook, Autographed copies are available for $14.99 and $5.50 shipping from Outdoorsmen Productions, 405 N. Broadway, Box 354, Hartington, Nebraska 68739