Peppercorn Dove Brochette
Now that your freezer is loaded with doves, it’s time to slap them on the grill while the weather is warm and the doves are not yet freezer-burned. No doubt you’re aware that freshly ground peppercorns deliver more flavor than the preground stuff. The reason that restaurant servers offer freshly ground pepper is not to fleece you for a few more bucks, it makes the food taste better, and that’s nothing to sneeze about.
Peppercorn Dove Brochette
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons whole black or other color peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 12 doves breasts removed (save bodies for stock!)
- 24 button mushrooms whole
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch squares
- 1 yellow or green bell pepper cut into 1-inch squares
- 1 large red onion cut into 1-inch squares
- 8 large wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes
Instructions
- Place peppercorns in a blender with next four ingredients and process until pepper is coarsely ground. While motor is running, drizzle oil into mixture in a thin stream. In a large bowl, combine dove breasts with vegetables and toss with peppercorn mixture to coat evenly. Refrigerate for 2 – 6 hours. Alternate dove breast, bell pepper, onion and mushroom on each skewer, with 3 dove breast halves on each skewer. Broil or grill until dove is medium-rare.
Notes
Cooking Tip: You can soak a wooden skewer for 30 days and it will still burn if the grill is hot. I often grill everything off the skewer. To serve, I’ll slide the goods onto new skewers for presentation.