Ingredients
Chukar and Kale White Lasagna
4 cup(s) Shredded Chukar Partridge
9 Lasagna Noodles
1 Large Yellow Onion
4 Garlic Gloves
8 oz Shredded Mozella Cheese
3 oz Parmesan Cheese
16 oz Ricotta Cheese
1 bunch Fresh Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Poultry Seasoning
Ground Black Pepper
Salt
Poultry seasoning
6 tbsp Rubbed Sage
4 tbsp Ground Thyme
2 tbsp Marjoram
2 tbsp Ground White Pepper
1 tbsp Ground Rosemary
1 tbsp Ground Nutmeg
Smoked Chukar
5-6 Whole Chukar Partridge
Poultry Seasoning
Ground Black Pepper
Salt
Cooking Spray
Wood Chips ( Pecan, Hickory or Applewood )
Chukar Stock
5-6 Smoked Chukar Carcasses
16-18 cup(s) Water
6 Carrots, broken in half
4 Celery Stalks, broken in half
1 Large Yellow Onion
2-3 Bay Leaves
1 bunch Thyme Sprigs
2-3 Sage Leaves
1 tbsp Whole Black Pepper Corns
1 tbsp Salt
Chukar Brine
8 cup(s) Water
1/2 cup(s) Kosher Salt
1/4 cup(s) White Sugar
1/4 cup(s) Light Brown Sugar
2-3 Sage Leaves
6 sprig(s) Thyme
1/2 tbsp Whole Black Pepper Corns
1 Bay leave
Cream and Kale Sauce
1 Large Yellow Onion
4 Gralic Cloves
3 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1/3 cup(s) All Purpose flour
2 1/2 cup(s) Chukar Stock
1 1/2 cup(s) Half and Half
4 oz Kale Leaves, shredded
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Poultry Seasoning
1 tsp Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 tsp Salt
Instructions
Poultry seasoning
Step #2 - Combine all the ingredients in a small mason jar and give it a good shake.
Chukar Brine
Step #4 - To make brine, combine all the ingredients for the brine in a stock pot and bring to a boil on the stove.
Step #5 - Allow to boil for 15 – 20 minutes, then reduce heat and allow to cool.
Step #6 - Once cool, place birds in a gallon size bag or bowl and pour mixture over birds.
Step #7 - Place in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Remove birds from brine and pat dry with water towels.
Step #8 - If you have time, place them back in the fridge for another hour.
Smoked Chukar
Step #10 - If you don’t have a smoker or would prefer to roast your birds instead, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place all your vegetables in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place seasoned birds on top of the vegetables then place in the oven to 30-40 minutes. If you want to cook your birds in the stock while you make it, you can skip these steps.
Step #11 - Spray outside of Chukar with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.
Step #12 - Fill smoker drip pan with water or juice, then get your smoker to a constant 225 degrees.
Step #13 - Place seasoned Chukar on top rack and smoke for 1 to 2 hours, until temperature reaches around 150-160 range.
Step #14 - Remove from smoker and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes
Step #15 - Shredded the meat from the bones and place in bowl until ready to use. Save the Carcasses to make your Chukar Stock.
Chukar Stock
Step #17 - Start by washing your vegetables and removing skin from onions. Break vegetables in half with your hands or cut with a knife, do not dice, or cut into small pieces. You want these pieces to be large, so they’ll be easy to filter out when the stock is done.
Step #18 - Take Smoked Chukar Carcasses and place them in the bottom of a large stock pot.
Or add your whole, uncooked Chukar if you plan on cooking them in your stock.
Step #19 - Add your vegetables and other ingredients to stock pot, then cover with 16-18 cups of water.
Step #20 - Add lid and set heat to high. Allow to reach a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Step #21 - If and only if you plan on cooking your Chukar in the stock instead of smoking or roasting them. Check the temperature of the Chukar after about 20 minutes or so. Once the temperature reaches 150-160 range, remove the birds from the pot and allow to cool, but allow the stock to continue to simmer without the birds in it. Once cooled, shredded the meat from the bones and then it’s up to you if you want to add the Chukar Carcasses back to your stock pot.
Step #22 - Allow stock to simmer, covered on low heat for at least 4 hours, the longer the better. Use a slotted spoon for skim fat from top of cooking stock.
Step #23 - When done, place another empty stock pot in sink and place colander over top of it.
Step #24 - Line the colander with paper towels, this will help filter out small particles in your stock.
Step #25 - Pour the contents of your stock pot through the colander and discard everything that the colander catches.
Step #26 - Allow the stock to cool
Step #27 - Before ssing a ladle, ladle the stock into mason jars to store and stick in the freezer to use again later.
Cream and Kale Sauce
Step #29 - Prepare your ingredients by chopping Kale, then dicing Onion and Garlic.
Step #30 - Add one tablespoon of Olive oil to Dutch oven and turn heat to medium high
Step #31 - Add diced onions and allow to cook 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent.
Step #32 - Add diced garlic and cook for another minute.
Step #33 - Add Salt, Pepper and Poultry seasoning, stirring to coat onions with seasoning.
Step #34 - Add 3 tablespoons of butter and allow to melt.
Step #35 - Add 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour, stirring to combine. Allow this to cook another 2-3 minutes.
Step #36 - Pour in Chukar stock and Half and Half. Continue to stir, scraping the bottom of the pan while you stir. This should begin to thicken up after a few minutes.
Step #37 - Once it’s starts to thicken, add chopped Kale, then remove from heat.
Step #38 - Taste and add additional Salt, Pepper and Poultry seasoning as needed.
Chukar and Kale White Lasagna
Step #40 - Bring a large pot of well salted water to a bowl.
Step #41 - Add Lasagna noodles and cook 8-10 minutes. You don’t want your noodles to be cooked all the way through, so subtract a couple of minutes from the package directions and remove them early. They’ll finish up in the oven.
Step #42 - Drain noodles and run cold water over them to keep them from sticking and to stop the cooking process.
Step #43 - Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place one rack so that it’s in the middle of oven.
Step #44 - Add a thin layer of Cream and Kale sauce to the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish. This will prevent the noodles from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Step #45 - Place three of your partially cooked Lasagna noodles down to cover the bottom of the casserole dish.
Step #46 - Scoop out some Ricotta cheese onto this layer and spread with a spatula, until you have a solid thin layer of Ricotta.
Step #47 - Sprinkle this with a layer of Shredded Mozella Cheese
Step #48 - Then Sprinkle that will a few sprinkles of Parmesan Cheese
Step #49 - Evenly spread about 2 cups of your Chukar meat on top cheeses.
Step #50 - Sprinkle this with Salt, Pepper and Poultry seasoning.
Step #51 - Pour half of your Cream and Kale sauce over this, using a spatula to smooth our this layer.
Step #52 - Add three more Lasagna noodles.
Step #53 - Cover with another layer of Ricotta Cheese
Step #54 - Sprinkle with another layer of Mozella Cheese
Step #55 - Add some additional Parmesan Cheese
Step #56 - Add the rest of the Chukar meat
Step #57 - Season the meat with another sprinkle of salt and pepper
Step #58 - Then pour the rest of your Cream and Kale sauce over top of this.
Step #59 - Add three more Lasagna noodles
Step #60 - Sprinkle with remaining Mozella Cheese
Step #61 - Add some more Parmesan
Step #62 - Sprinkle with top with Black Pepper
Step #63 - Cover with Aluminum Foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes
Step #64 - After 45 minutes, remove the foil and turn the broiler on. Place back in oven and use the broiler to brown the top of the lasagna. Watch this step carefully, leaving to long will burn your lasagna.
Step #65 - Allow to cool for a few minutes. Cut up some parsley to sprinkle on top.
Step #66 - Use a spatula to cut into equal size squares.
Step #67 - Enjoy
