Roast Dove Breasts with Chicken Liver Canapés

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Dove breasts bones can be removed by slipping your thumb in between the meat and bone at the back end of the bird.  Keep your thumb pressed to the bones and work back and forth forcing the meat off the bone while slowing moving forward.

12 slices French bread ¼ inch thick

½(or more) cup clarified butter        

Toast the bread lightly on both sides in the clarified butter.

6 chicken livers

2 strips bacon chopped

¼ tsp salt

Pepper

¼ cup white wine

1 bay leaf

1T Madeira, port or cognac

8 T butter

Trim the livers.  Sauté the bacon in a medium size skillet with lid.  Add the chicken livers, seasonings, bay leaf and wine.  Cover and cook over low heat until the chicken livers are tender and done with no pink remaining. Use a slotted spoon and transfer to the bowl of a food processor with steel blade.  Process until smooth while adding butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Adjust seasoning. Spread the mixture on one side of each piece of bread and place on cookie sheet.  Set aside.

12 boneless dove breast halves

Salt/pepper

Tarragon

Butter

6 strips of bacon (use thin sliced bacon)

¾ cup Cognac 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rub the dove breasts with butter. Season the breasts with salt, pepper and tarragon.  Wrap each breast in ½ slice of bacon and place in shallow roasting pan.  Cook the wrapped breast on the stovetop until warm and partially cooked. Pour cognac over the breast and carefully Flambé them.

Place the pan in the over. Baste and turn the birds every 7 minutes until done. (When juice is no longer red tinted)  Remove from oven and place on warm dish. Cover with foil. Change the oven to broil.

1T minced shallots

½ smashed garlic clove

2 T fat/juice from roasting pan and any solids

1 ½ cups beef stock

¼ cup cognac

1 T butter       

Place the fat/juice in a pot large enough to hold 2 cups of liquid. Stir the shallots and garlic into the fat/juice and cook slowly for 2 minutes. Add the stock and cognac and boil rapidly until reduced to about ½ cup. Remove from heat and stir in the butter.

           

To Serve:
Place the dove breasts on top of the chicken liver spread. Return to the oven and broil the canapés for 2 minutes or until sizzling.  Drizzle with sauce.