Grouse Lollipop

Name: Grouse Lollipop
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 4 unit Grouse breasts; 125 g Gruyère cheese or Swiss, grated; 15 ml Heavy cream 35% 1 tablespoon; 120 ml Cola; 120 ml Aged rum; 60 ml Maple syrup; 60 ml Birch syrup or molasses; 2 unit Egg beaten; Breadcrumbs as needed; All-purpose flour as needed; 60 ml Almonds; 60 ml Walnuts; 60 ml Peanuts; 60 ml Pistachios; 60 ml Maple syrup; 120 ml Shredded coconut unsweetened; 15 ml Curry powder 1 tablespoon; Dates pitted, to taste; Fresh pineapple cubed

Autumn grouse, breaded and glazed to eat by hand.

Prep30 min

Cook30 min

Yield6 to 8 servings

DifficultyIntermediate

theuplandcook.com/en/recipes/grouse-lollipop

Ingredients

For the lollipops

4 — Grouse breasts
125 g — Gruyère cheese (or Swiss, grated)
15 ml — Heavy cream 35% (1 tablespoon)

For the rum-cola sauce

120 ml — Cola
120 ml — Aged rum
60 ml — Maple syrup
60 ml — Birch syrup (or molasses)

For the breading

2 — Egg (beaten)
Breadcrumbs (as needed)
All-purpose flour (as needed)

For the nut crumble

60 ml — Almonds
60 ml — Walnuts
60 ml — Peanuts
60 ml — Pistachios
60 ml — Maple syrup

For the curry coconut

120 ml — Shredded coconut (unsweetened)
15 ml — Curry powder (1 tablespoon)

For the side

Dates (pitted, to taste)
Fresh pineapple (cubed)

Steps

01Reduce the rum-cola sauce
In a small saucepan, combine the cola, aged rum, maple syrup and birch syrup. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce by two-thirds until you get a syrupy sauce that coats the back of a spoon. About 20 minutes — be patient.
02Make the nut crumble
In a bowl, combine the almonds, walnuts, peanuts, pistachios and maple syrup. Spread on a sheet pan and roast at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes, watching closely to avoid burning. Once cooled, crush with a rolling pin or food processor until you get a coarse powder.
03Make the curry coconut
In a bowl, combine the shredded coconut and curry powder. Spread on a sheet pan and roast at 300°F (150°C) for only 5 minutes. Watch closely: coconut burns fast and goes from golden to charred in 30 seconds.
04Make the grouse paste
In a food processor, pulse the grouse breasts with the gruyère and cream until you get a smooth, homogeneous paste. The texture should be firm but pliable, like a sausage stuffing.
05Shape and chill the balls
Shape the paste into small walnut-sized balls. Place on a parchment-lined sheet and freeze for 15 to 20 minutes. The cold firms them up, which makes the breading much easier.
06Bread English-style and fry
Set up three bowls: flour, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs. Roll each ball in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Fry in oil at 350°F (175°C) for 6 to 7 minutes, until the lollipops are deep golden and cooked through.
07Grill the side skewers
Thread pitted dates and fresh pineapple cubes alternately on small skewers. Grill on the barbecue over medium heat until the pineapple caramelizes slightly and the dates turn sticky.
08Plate and serve
When ready to serve, place the warm lollipops on a plate. Drizzle generously with the warm rum-cola sauce. Sprinkle with curry coconut and nut crumble. Add the date and pineapple skewers on the side. Serve immediately, with a glass of rum and Coke to close the loop.