Another One Bites The Dust

We have a large covered back porch. We also have a large picture window that looks out on the back yard through the porch. We've planted vegetation to provide food and cover for birds, and we've hung several bird feeders of varying types that attract an assortment of our fine feathered friends. We get hummingbirds, cardinals (bright fiery red this time of the year), goldfinches, painted and indigo buntings, bluebirds and the occasional blue jay, robins, purple martins, and a whole host of less-colorful birds such as wrens and sparrows. Once in a while a hawk or two will hang around, hoping for an easy meal, but they usually go away empty handed (empty taloned?).

We also have a large flock of doves that visit us twice daily - morning and evening - to dine. Their cooing offers a nice counterpoint to the songs of the other birds. They gorge themselves on the bird seed, getting nice and plump. Every once in a while one will get disoriented and fly into our picture window. I think the covered porch eliminates any reflection, preventing the birds from seeing the window. As a matter of fact, one did so last night, prompting this post.

When one of those nice plump dove hit the window it rattles the glass and makes a big loud "thud," scaring the pants off anyone in the house. The unfortunate bird usually breaks its neck and dies instantly, saddening my wife and kids. However, the country boy in me looks on the dove carcass and thinks "barbecue."

When a kamikaze dove meets its end on our back porch I rush out and grab it before the dogs can get to it. I breast it out, rinse it off, and put it in the freezer. When I have enough I thaw 'em out and fire up the grill.

• Start with a pile of dove. Breast 'em out and soak the breasts in milk while you do the following.

• Open a Shiner.

• Get enough fresh jalapeño peppers so you have half as many jalapeños as you do dove breasts (in other words, one jalapeño for every two dove breasts). Slice the jalapeños in half and clean them of seeds and membranes. (DO NOT touch your eyes or other sensitive tissue with your hands after cleaning the jalapeños.)

• Put one jalapeño slice inside each breast. Wrap it in a slice of bacon (I prefer thick slab smoked bacon). Use a couple of toothpicks to hold the whole thing together.

• By now you should have finished the first Shiner. Open another one. Repeat as necessary.

• Grill over medium heat for about 20 minutes, turning as needed. 

 

Some folks put a little cheese in with the jalapeños. If you go this route try cream cheese. It's a good compliment to the peppers.

Quick, simple, and free. Hard to beat...