Tenderloin Birds Recipes

ESCAPED BIRDS

Steps:

• Heat the milk in a small sauce pot over medium heat, then add salt and a little bit of nutmeg, to taste. In another pot melt the butter and add the flour. Stir it gently and as soon as you see some flour foaming pour the mixture into the hot milk. Lower the heat and keep stirring until it becomes creamy. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and fry for 3 minutes, then add the pork and fry until it's partly cooked, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the onion and pork from the pan to a plate and set aside to cool. Set up 3 dredging bowls. Mix the bread crumbs and the Parmesan in 1 bowl, add the cold bechamel in another bowl, and the eggs beaten with salt and pepper, to taste, in the third bowl.
• Using toothpicks spear a cube of pork, a cube of cheese and a piece of mortadella or ham onto each toothpick. Roll the skewers first in the bread crumb mixture, then in the cold bechamel (with the help of a spoon), then in the beaten egg and finally coat again in the bread crumb mixture. Gently press the breading by hand to adhere the mixture. Reheat the oil and add the skewers (avoid turning too often, or the breading will break off). Once they become golden, about 5 minutes, gently remove them from the oil to paper towels to drain. Transfer the "birds" to a serving platter and serve.

BEEF BIRDS

Steps:

• Pound steak to 1/4 inch thickness, using a meat mallet or edge of heavy plate.
• Cut meat into strips, approximately 3x5 inches. Season flour with salt, pepper and garlic powder and dredge the meat in the flour. (save the remaining flour to thicken the gravy).
• Add a 1/2 slice of bacon (size to cover the meat strip) and thin chunks of onion to the meat, leaving the end of the meat free of onion so you can roll up more easily. Roll it up, with the bacon and onion on the inside and secure with 2 toothpicks.
• In Dutch Oven or heavy pot, heat oil and brown birds well on all sides. You will have to do this in batches. Do NOT skimp on browning well, it really makes the dish.
• Return birds to the pot. Add beef broth and enough water up to 3 inches in pot. Cover and simmer on low until fork-tender, about 1 1/2 hours, check after 1 hour.
• Remove birds. Skim some, but not all of the fat from the pot. Make gravy using pan juices, flour and water, or however you like to make your gravy.

TENDERLOIN BIRDS

Steps:

• Tenderize meat by pounding out to 3" squares. Skewer on 1/2 slice of bacon to each slice of tenderloin; shake in breading mixture. Bake in 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes. Do not overcook.
• TIP: Ask the butcher to slice the tenderloin and run them thru the tenderizer. This will save you lots of time.