Game Bird Breasts Marengo
A sinfully rich and delicious entree that is perfect for a celebration, sure to garner oohs and ahs. It can be made and assembled up to a day ahead. Serve with a green salad and garlic-buttered bread. Make this with the game bird breasts of your choice, such as pheasant, partridge, prairie chicken, ptarmigan, and grouse.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8
- 1 pound bacon
- 8 boneless, skinless game bird breasts
- 1½ cups seasoned flour
- 2 onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 (10-ounce) cans Ro-Tel Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies
- 2 (8-ounce) cans whole button mushrooms, drained
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a large, deep baking dish and set aside.
In a large sauté pan, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to drain on paper towels; crumble when cool and set aside. Keep bacon grease in pan.
Dredge game bird breasts in flour; save remaining flour. Brown breasts in bacon grease, cooking about 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Place breasts in baking dish.
Pour off half of the remaining bacon grease. Sauté chopped onions and garlic in grease until soft. Add ¼ cup seasoned flour and stir to form a roux. Add Ro-Tel, mushrooms, half the parsley, lemon zest, and half the bacon. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. If tomato gravy is too thick, thin with water.
Pour gravy over breasts and top with remaining bacon. Bake for approximately 1 hour. Sprinkle remaining parsley over game birds and serve.
Canned Tomatoes
Ever wonder whether fresh tomatoes are better than canned tomatoes? Just let taste be your guide. Fresh summer garden tomatoes are the best, but their season is not long. The rest of the year, use canned tomatoes, but not just any canned tomatoes. Premium brands like S&W and Muir Glen offer canned Roma tomatoes with basil or fire-roasted tomatoes with bits of the charred skin still on the fruit. These are delicious. Buy an assortment of cans, including whole, chopped, and crushed tomatoes, so you will be ready for whatever your recipe calls for.
