Rhubarb Glazed Roasted Chukar with Sautéed Cannellini Beans Artichoke Barigoule and Mushrooms

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I love these little birds! They are the perfect size for a main course, and while they aren’t too strong on flavor, they make for a nice game bird for the timid eater. It’s early spring and rhubarb is in season, and so I glazed it with some rhubarb syrup.  I decided to serve it with a side of sautéed cannellini beans and artichoke barigoule.  It kept the dish light, and highlighted the idea that, “things that grow together, go together.” 

If you’re not on the west coast, you can substitute grouse for the chukar. 

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Rhubarb Glazed Roasted Chukar with Sautéed Cannellini Beans Artichoke Barigoule and Mushrooms
Serves 2
I love these little birds! They are the perfect size for a main course, and while they aren't too strong on flavor, they make for a nice game bird for the timid eater. It's early spring and rhubarb is in season, and so I glazed it with some rhubarb syrup. I decided to serve it with a side of sautéed cannellini beans and artichoke barigoule. It kept the dish light, and highlighted the idea that, "things that grow together, go together." If you're not on the west coast, you can substitute grouse for the chukar.
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Prep Time
25 hr
Cook Time
45 hr
Total Time
25 hr 45 min
Prep Time
25 hr
Cook Time
45 hr
Total Time
25 hr 45 min
For the Chukar
  1. 2 Chukar (substitute grouse)
For the Brine
  1. 4 cups Boiling Water
  2. 1/3 cup Kosher Salt
  3. 1/4 cup Sugar (or 1/4 cup honey)
  4. 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
  5. 4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
  6. 3 Sprigs Fresh Marjoram
  7. 1 Tbs. Minced Garlic
  8. 1 Tbs. Black Peppercorns
  9. 1 Bay Leaf
For the Cannelloni Beans
  1. 1 cup Dried Cannellini Beans (substitute 3/4 cup dried navy beans)
  2. 1 Whole Shallot, peeled
  3. 1 Whole Carrot, cut in half
  4. 1 Bay Leaf
  5. 5 Whole Cloves
For the Rhubarb Syrup Glaze
  1. 5 Stalks Fresh Rhubarb
  2. 1 cup Water
  3. 1/2 cup Sugar
  4. 1 Cinnamon Stick
  5. 1 Licorice Root Stick (or substitute 1 shot Jaegermeister Liqueur)
  6. 1 tsp. Freshly Ground Pepper
  7. Pinch of Kosher Salt
Artichoke Barigoule
  1. 3 Fresh Artichokes
  2. 3 Rainbow Carrots (assorted colors), medium dice
  3. 1 Celery Stalk, medium dice
  4. 2 Shallots, medium dice
  5. 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
  6. 1 Bay Leaf
  7. 1 tsp. Fennel Seed
  8. 1/3 cup Chardonnay Wine (cheap stuff will do)
  9. 1/3 cup Chicken or Duck Stock
  10. 3 tbs. Butter or Oil
  11. Kosher Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
  12. Juice of 1 lemon (or 1/4 cup lemon juice)
Compound Butter
  1. 4 Tbs. Butter
  2. 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
  3. 2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
  4. 1 Sprig Fresh Marjoram
  5. Cracked Pepper
  6. Kosher Salt
Mushrooms
  1. 6 ounces Fresh Shitake Mushrooms
  2. 2 tbs. Duck Fat (or Butter)
  3. Kosher Salt and Pepper, to taste
For the Brine
24 Hours Ahead
  1. Heat the water until boiling and add all the remaining brine ingredients and stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
  2. Set the liquid aside until it's completely cooled.
  3. Line a large bowl with a turkey roasting bag and add the chukar.
  4. Pour the cooled brine into the bag with the chukar and tie tightly closed.
  5. Place the birds in the fridge for 24 hours.
For the Cannellini Beans
24 Hours Ahead
  1. Add the beans to a large pot and pour in enough water to come up two inches above the beans.
  2. Peel the shallot and stick the whole cloves directly into the shallot.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients and bring the beans to a light simmer.
  4. Simmer beans for about 1 hour.
  5. Check the beans for doneness, and add additional time if needed.
  6. Once the beans are done, drain, remove and discard the shallot, carrot and bay leaf, and season the beans with salt and pepper.
  7. Refrigerate for the next day, if desired.
  8. **Never salt beans until they are finished cooking, because salt will make the skins tough.
**For the Rhubarb Syrup Glaze
24 Hours Ahead
  1. Cut rhubarb into 2 inch pieces and set in a medium sized pot.
  2. Add all the other ingredients and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender.
  3. Place a mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the cooked rhubarb into the strainer, so the syrup drips down through the strainer and into the bowl.
  4. *The cooked rhubarb can be discarded or used as a topping for ice cream.
  5. Reserve the syrup for the glaze.
***For the Artichoke Barigoule
24 Hours Ahead
  1. Fill a bowl with 2 cups cold water and add lemon juice of 1 lemon (or 1/3 cup lemon juice)
  2. Remove the top 1 inch of the artichokes, peel the outer green leaves and discard.
  3. Peel the stems lightly to remove a bit of the outer layer, but leave mostly in tact.
  4. Scoop out the fuzzy purple choke in the center and discard.
  5. Once the artichoke is cleaned, cut the artichoke in half and quickly add the artichoke to the lemon water to keep it from browning.
  6. Cut the carrots, celery and shallots and garlic and set aside.
  7. Heat a pan over medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of butter or oil and the cut up vegetables.
  8. Drain the artichokes and add to the pan.
  9. Saute for 2 minutes, then add all the remaining liquids, herbs and spices.
  10. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
  11. Once the artichokes are tender, add the cannelloni beans and heat through.
  12. Refrigerate the day ahead, and reheat over medium heat while the chukar are roasting.
For The Compound butter
24 Hours Ahead
  1. Mix the butter, garlic powder, fresh thyme leaves, marjoram and salt and pepper to make a compound butter.
  2. Refrigerate 24 hours ahead.
To Finish the Dish
  1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Loosen the skin of the chukar under the breast and divide the compound butter in 2 and gently push the butter under the skin on each side.
  3. Season inside and outside the chukar with salt and pepper.
  4. Heat a large oven safe sauté pan with canola oil, or duck fat.
  5. Sear the chukar on all sides and place the pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, total.
  6. Basting every five minutes with the rhubarb syrup.
  7. Once the chukar are roasted, remove them and baste once more, while the side dishes are being re-heated.
  8. If the Cannellini beans and artichoke barigoule were done the day ahead, heat a large sauté pan with a few tablespoons oil and add the beans and artichoke barigoule and heat through.
For the Mushrooms
  1. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms and sauté 2 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Serve with roasted chukar, cannelloni beans and artichoke barigoule.
Notes
  1. **Substitute a jar of orange marmalade, warmed through for rhubarb syrup.
  2. ***A can of drained artichoke hearts can be substituted for the fresh artichokes, but reduce the amount of wine and stock by half, and sauté and cook the vegetables ONLY, for 20 minutes and add the artichokes and cannellini beans, once the vegetables are softened just till warmed through.
  3. To save time, the brine, cannelloni beans, artichoke barigoule, rhubarb syrup and compound butter can all be done the day ahead, and simply re-heated. The roasting and sautéing mushrooms should be done last minute.
He Hunts She Cooks http://hehuntsshecooks.com/