Wild In The Kitchen: Jalapeno Dove Poppers

Jalapeno Dove Poppers

Before you can cook a good dove dish, or any other wild game dish for that matter, you’ve got to understand what it is that you are cooking. Mourning doves are migratory birds. Birds such as doves, ducks and geese that migrate have dark-meat breasts. Birds that don’t migrate such as quail and chickens have white-meat breasts. Dove breasts are extremely lean, reasonably tough and have a distinct, rich flavor. In simple terms, dove meat needs fat and flavor added. This simple appetizer definitely fits the bill.

15 de-boned dove breasts

15 fresh jalapeno peppers

1 cup cream cheese

15 strips of bacon

toothpicks

Pre-heat the grill to medium-high heat. Rinse and dry the dove breast halves. Slice the jalapenos in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Put cream cheese in the open cavity of each half jalapeno. Place a half a dove breast inside each half jalapeno. Put the two half jalapenos together and wrap with a piece of bacon. Secure with a water-soaked toothpick. Grill poppers over medium-high heat until the bacon is crisp.