Getting my wiggles out

You know the saying, when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. Well, the decision to postpone my defense, and thus the culmination of my MA, felt, at the time, like an enormous mouth full of lemons.  I puckered, I shed some tears, my jaw clenched.  It was sour.  However, now that I've had time to process my choice, I am so glad I made the level-headed, adult decision (this was inspired largely from the encouragement of my wonderful advisor) to give myself some wiggle room.

So . . . I am wiggling. 

You've noticed I have been cooking and writing again.  I have been exercising.  I have been reading books -- books for fun!  I have been spending lots of time in the out of doors.  I have not, however, been exerting enough effort or time towards my paper.  Whenever I walk Tuli, I always tell him "get your wiggles out!"  I figure that's what I am doing right now, getting my wiggles out. 

As my advisor reminded me, I want to present a paper that I am proud of.  This time and space has allowed me to get excited about my project again, as well as lots of other areas of my life that I neglected as a grouchy, stressed, do it all but not all that well graduate student.  How do you like that lemonade?

The following recipe is the fruits of my labor.  Literally.  The Great Samoan Hunter and I hiked up and down and up and down four or five ridges in search of chukar.  On our way back to the truck, we flushed an enormous covey of birds.  The Great Samoan Hunter shot left, I shot right.  I didn't see anything drop from my side.  After missing several birds throughout the day, I was quite disappointed in myself.  I didn't walk all that way to come home empty handed!  Much to my delight, Tuli recovered my downed bird that had landed around the ledge upon which I was standing.  Not only is he an upland game dog, but he is also a retriever! 

I acted like someone who had just won the publisher's clearinghouse -- squealing, waving my arms, jumping up and down.  I may have peed in my pants a little. 

If I tell you where we are, I might have to kill you.

My face hurt from smiling so much.

My retriever.

I can only take credit for one of these birds --

that's why I call him the GREAT Samoan Hunter.

I did find that deer shed in the background, though.

Chukar is very similar to pheasant, which tastes and looks much like chicken.  I am nuts about both of these birds.  Duck and geese, I am still working on.  I decided to make chukar piccata -- lots of lemon, wine and capers.  Had I served this dish to you blindly, you would have thought it was chicken. This dish blew me away.  I had never made it before because I am not such a fan of capers, but I will be recirculating the dish for certain.  Since chukar isn't an ingredient you can easily pick up at the grocery store, try the classic chicken piccata.  Delicious!

Chukar breasts before I pounded them thin.

Familiar breading of flour, egg and panko with the addition of parmesan cheese.

Since I am trying to "eliminate muffin top," I baked instead of fried.

Sauce fixins.

Capers.

Who would have thought wild game classed up so nicely?

Couldn't ask for a more perfect meal.

Chukar (or chicken) piccata

4 breasts, pounded thin

2 tbs flour

1 egg, scrambled

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (more for garnish)

1 or 2 lemons

1 handful Italian parsley, chopped

1/4 cup capers

1 shallot, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

salt and pepper

olive oil

2 tbs butter

pasta to serve

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil, drizzle with a little olive oil, and set aside. Place breasts in a ziplock bag and pound thin.  Dredge first in the seasoned flour (about 1 tsp each of salt and pepper) shaking off any excess, then the egg wash, and then panko cheese mixture.  Once all of the breasts are breaded, allow them to rest for about ten minutes on the baking sheet to ensure an extra crispy crust.  Bake the breasts for about 15 - 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.  Cook according to the directions.

In a saucepan, heat about 1 tbs olive oil over medium-high heat.  Saute the shallots and garlic until translucent.  Add the wine, juice of one whole lemon (if it's not super juice add the second for good measure), as well as the squeezed lemons and capers.  Reduce by half.  Add the chopped parsley.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the 2 tbs butter.  Remove the lemon halves and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the breasts. Serve with pasta and extra parmesan.  Enjoy!