Mediterranean Stuffed Fowl

[Twitchin Kitten]

This dish calls for pigeon or squab and since I can get neither here and I will NOT eat pigeon (filthy birds) I substituted with cornish hens. This dish is EASY to make, not expensive and you can have a 'fancy gourmet' meal for very little money and impress dinner guests and family!

Mahshi bel Loz
Mediteranean Pigeons or Squabs Stuffed with Meat and Pine Nuts

serves 4

Ingredients:

For the stuffing:

• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
  
• 3/4 pound ground beef
  
• Salt & pepper to taste
  
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  
• 3 Tbsp pine nuts - I just grab a fistful and toss them in.
  

For the birds:

• 4 small Mediterranean pigeons or squabs OR 2 nice cornish hens
  
• 2 onions, grated or finely chopped
  
• 4 Tbsp vegetable oil
  
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  
• 1 tsp cinnamon
  
• juice of 1 lemon
  
• Salt & pepper to taste
  

For the stuffing -
Fry the onion in the oil until golden. Add the meat, breakiing it up with a fork and stir, for 2 - 3 minutes until it changes color. Add salt, pepper, cinnamon and pine nuts and stir well, heat through. Remove from pan and set aside.
* I like to remove this to a strainer over a bowl to let the oils drip out for a less greasy stuffing. Chicken is greasy enough on it's own!

Clean and prepare your birds.

Stuff the birds with the meat stuffing you prepared and close the openings with toothpicks.

Take a very large, heavy skillet and heat the onions in the oil until golden. I use the same pan I made the stuffing in, deglazing it before this step. Makes for a LOVELY flavoring.
Stir in the cardamom and cinnamon. Put the birds in, half cover with water, add lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Cooik covered for 3/4 to 1 hour, turning the birds once until they are very tender. They should basically fall apart. You'll also see the skin break and start to shrink away during the cooking.... this is good!

Uncover toward the end, remove the birds and bring the heat up high and reduce the sauce to a nice medium thick consistency.

Serve hot.

We served ours with Mashed Potatoes with Butter and Pine Nuts and a salad.

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