Sora Rail Summer Salad
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Every year near the end of August folks in my circle start talking about September 1st… which is better known as dove season! They are always shocked when I tell them I won’t be out there on opening day. They are even more shocked when I tell them why. Dove hunters at the public land trailhead scratch their heads and look at me like I am trying to pull one over on them when I tell them, “I am hunting the marsh for Sora Rail!”
This little-known bird is not only fun to hunt, but it is a joy to cook! In the Midwest heat, the hunt is extremely physically exerting and not for the faint of heart; trudging through waist-high grasses in ankle-deep mud and water for miles will make you sore in places you didn’t know you had! The flavor of the Sora Rail is also on the wild side with a deep richness and unique earth tones that the well-developed palate of the modern wild game connoisseur craves.
I have cooked them so many ways over the years, but I find they pair best with a simple seasonal salad. When the Rail season is in full swing, my garden is typically putting out the first few acorn squash of the season, so I grab a few cloves of garlic put up in the pantry, pull a few onions, grab some greens and get to work.
Serving Size: 4+/-
Time to make: 45 minutes
Equipment: Cast iron skillet, Baking sheet, Bowl
Also works with: Quail, dove, pigeon, grouse, any seasonal vegetables
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Sora Rail Summer Salad
4
servings30
minutes45
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
- For the Sora Rail
4 -8 birds, halved or quartered
Skin on preferably, but skinless if bird is tore up
- For the Marinade
½ cup of Tequila
1 Tbs Agave syrup or Honey
1 Tbs ground Cloves
1 Tsp Red Pepper Chili Flakes
3 cloves minced Garlic
- For the Squash
2 Acorn Squash (any squash will do, or even sweet potato)
½ Cup Olive Oil
1 Tsp Ginger
1 Tsp Cinnamon
½ Tsp Cloves
½ Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Chopped Red Onion
- For the Salad
Kale, Spinach, Dandelion Greens or a salad mix from the store washed and rinsed.
Balsamic Vinegar
Sliced dried Figs or dried Cranberries
Toasted Squash/Pumpkin seeds or Sunflower Seeds.
Preparation
- For the Rail
- Pluck and halve the birds with skin on or quarter up breast/legs if they are too banged up to pluck.
- Marinade the Rail for at least 30 minutes.
- Sear halved Rail skin side down in cast iron skillet for about 2-3 minutes per side, even less for skinless cuts, looking for medium/medium well doneness.
- Set aside to rest
- For the Squash
- Cut Squash into bite size pieces and place in bowl
- Dice Onion into large pieces and set aside
- Add seasoning to bowl.
- Add Olive Oil to bowl and toss until coated.
- Pour seasoned Squash onto baking sheet
- Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, stir Squash and add Onion(you want the onion to still have some crunch).
- Cook for an additional 10-20 minutes.
- For the Salad
- Rinse, dry and roughly chop greens
- Combine Squash with greens
- Dress with Balsamic, Figs, Seeds and toss until coated
- Plate salad with Sora Rail and season with salt
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