Bill Oddie, a Mallard and Saturday Kitchen on BBC1 (2 Viewers)

[Peewit]

Hi there

I do not know whether if this is the best place to place this thread as this is a subject close to my heart. Anyway her goes.

This morning I was watching 'Saturday Kitchen' on BBC 1. Bill Oddie was on the show as one of their guests. What a fussy eater he is?

Nick Nairn made a 'Mallard' salad, and Bill was not very impressed at all, and refused to eat it all. I expected that he would say no and turn his nose up (I would, myself)

What made me laugh is a cake was made and Bill turned his nose up at it and said 'Can I feed that to my Fox'. James Martin's face LOL

A while ago Huge F Wittingstall made a duck dish and used a 'Woodcock' as part of his recipe. Live on TV of course. :-C

What so people feel about wildfowl being eaten in this way? Are we for it or against it?.

 

[Nightranger]

Hi there

I do not know whether if this is the best place to place this thread as this is a subject close to my heart. Anyway her goes.

This morning I was watching 'Saturday Kitchen' on BBC 1. Bill Oddie was on the show as one of their guests. What a fussy eater he is?

Nick Nairn made a 'Mallard' salad, and Bill was not very impressed at all, and refused to eat it all. I expected that he would say no and turn his nose up (I would, myself)

What made me laugh is a cake was made and Bill turned his nose up at it and said 'Can I feed that to my Fox'. James Martin's face LOL

A while ago Huge F Wittington (sp) made a duck dish and used a 'Woodcock' as part of his recipe. Live on TV of course. :-C

What so people feel about wildfowl being eaten in this way? Are we for it or against it?.

It is not something I would go out of my way to try but this is one of the cornerstones to the ethics of the game shooting question. There is concern in game circles about the concept of overbagging where the surplus is simply buried and does not find its way into the food chain. In the strictest sense, this is not game shooting at all because all game is supposed to reach the pot. By contrast, shooting wild birds is generally in such low quantities that there is seldom a surplus (at least, these days). Whether this argues against the concept or furthers the cause of free-range bird management is difficult to say.

IMO, Bill did not come across very well in the opening part of the programme and I would like to see the evidence for some of the sweeping claims he made. Lest you think I am pro-shooting, my position is one of total neutrality and unlike Bill, I have not accepted the situation so much as not being convinced either way. As Bill said, he was not going to bring the bird back to life so to refuse to try the dish seemed slightly churlish but then again, he has the choice and all credit for putting hi decision in front of the nation.

Ian

 

[Ant]

We must remember that it is because of shooting that so many species survive today.. It may seem like a contradition in terms but when landowners set aside areas of land, moorland, wetland, for shooting gamebirds &wildfowl they are preserving habitat that could otherwise be distroyed by the likes of property developers.
Just so you know, I am not a supporter of hunting, but neither am I entirly against because of the reasons above. What I don't like is when the shoots are totally unmanaged.

As for eating wildfowl, and gamebirds. I have not done so, but I'd be quite happy to try them.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Mallard is delicious and has none of the thick layer of fat that makes up so much of the weight of a domestic duck (the last supermarket duck I cooked yielded over a pound of fat - which was collected in a jar and saved for other uses). It's years since I had mallard and I would certainly not turn my nose up at one if offered.

Woodpigeon also is a fine meat which I would recommend.

 

[Craig H]

It is not something I would go out of my way to try but this is one of the cornerstones to the ethics of the game shooting question. There is concern in game circles about the concept of overbagging where the surplus is simply buried and does not find its way into the food chain. In the strictest sense, this is not game shooting at all because all game is supposed to reach the pot. By contrast, shooting wild birds is generally in such low quantities that there is seldom a surplus (at least, these days). Whether this argues against the concept or furthers the cause of free-range bird management is difficult to say.

Ian

Ian I think you'll find the burial of surplus birds is a myth circulated by animal rights groups. Anything not fit to pass on for consumption may be buried as per any animal product, but surplus - no. It all goes to market.

Similar discussions in the RSPB allows wildfowling thread.

 

[eddieh]

I think this is an excellent thread Peewit.And one which could instigate many and varied discussions relating to hunting for sport and/or food.My own feeling is that there is nothing wrong in hunting as long as the prey is not over hunted, is eaten and that it is not done in a manner which affects the species or wider environment in a detrimental way ( Please don't ask me to be more specific. I have no relevant scientific knowledge and am just trying to put my feelings across). I must admit to a slight crisis of conscience in my choice of dogs, one an Irish Setter, and the present one a Brittany, and my feeling that I would like to see these breeds working. This crisis is further complicated by the fact that both of the parents of my current dog hunt with hawks. Again, I would be most interested in seeing dogs working in this manner but do not like the idea that birds are confined and denied any freedom necessary to them. I had intended to make many points during this post but continuous interruptions relating to washing-up, the whereabouts of the tv remote and other important events have distracted me to the extent that they will not enter my mind for some time after I've finished this post

 

[Peewit]

I think this is an excellent thread Peewit.And one which could instigate many and varied discussions relating to hunting for sport and/or food.My own feeling is that there is nothing wrong in hunting as long as the prey is not over hunted, is eaten and that it is not done in a manner which affects the species or wider environment in a detrimental way ( Please don't ask me to be more specific. I have no relevant scientific knowledge and am just trying to put my feelings across). I must admit to a slight crisis of conscience in my choice of dogs, one an Irish Setter, and the present one a Brittany, and my feeling that I would like to see these breeds working. This crisis is further complicated by the fact that both of the parents of my current dog hunt with hawks. Again, I would be most interested in seeing dogs working in this manner but do not like the idea that birds are confined and denied any freedom necessary to them. I had intended to make many points during this post but continuous interruptions relating to washing-up, the whereabouts of the tv remote and other important events have distracted me to the extent that they will not enter my mind for some time after I've finished this post

Thank you everyone for your replies. A mixed bag of responses so far.

Hi Eddie

I thought that this would be thread about subject which has moved away from the issue of 'shooting' for sport - ie for pheasant and grouse (there again some people may view it it as very closely connected to shooting for sport) and more into 'would a person eat such a bird as a Mallard, Teal or a Woodcock'.
I am sure that any recipe connected with eating these species would not come cheap either. Or would a person feel unhappy about it?

Eddie: You have made a lot of good points, and as you say, it is taking the time to think about what you are going to say (as you have said without all the background distractions)

I am feeling in two minds myself about eating wildfowl Fayre (as you say) but as long as it is ethical, and it does not affect the species at all.

Mallards are plentiful, but Woodcocks are not. That is where I draw the line. I think people like Mr W and co (with the issue of Woodcock) should be aware of this, and understand that what they cook and eat is not always the right thing to do for the whole of wildlife population. It is not a good thing to avoid stating to the viewing population that all is okay on the wildlife front.

I do not think that all cooks on TV are keen environmentalists. (Mr W) is seen as one as he eats his produce in the natural way he can (well anything that moves comes to mind)

Alan: You are have eaten Mallard. Was this at a restaurant or was it got another way (if I am not prying too much). Just interested to know?

Ant: Good point about gamebirds being 'fostered' for shooting. This is the normal acceptance to the rule. Landowners gain financial profit from doing this activity. Yes, it keeps the property developers at bay

So many countires abroad see it as the normal thing to do to eat songbird pie for example. Will it ever be a trend in the UK now or in the future ?

I tried to squeeze an answer in for everyone in this one posting but it is over to you now, as I will take a backseat out of the limelight.

 

[geordie graham]

A lot of people say that the shooting of WILD birds is a legitimate sport. Only in the countryside for the upper class. Were it to happen on a housing estate it would be jumped on from a great height by the local constabulary.Wild birds and animals are just that WILD and do not belong to anybody therefore they have no right kill them.

Graham

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Peewit, the mallard I've had was given to me.

A few more wouldn't go amiss.

 

[delia todd]

A lot of people say that the shooting of WILD birds is a legitimate sport. Only in the countryside for the upper class. Were it to happen on a housing estate it would be jumped on from a great height by the local constabulary.Wild birds and animals are just that WILD and do not belong to anybody therefore they have no right kill them.

Graham

Wrong! Wildfowling is legitimate and the people I know that partake are certainly NOT from the upper class.

Anyone shooting in a council housing estate is doing so illegally.

D

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Ah, come on Delia. It must be the toffs to blame. They are the ones to blame for everything.

They live in the country for a start. How criminal is that?

 

[delia todd]

Ah, come on Delia. It must be the toffs to blame. They are the ones to blame for everything.

They live in the country for a start. How criminal is that?

Of course they are Alan... I forgot that:-O

D

 

[Perdix]

Agreed, Delia; shooting is certainly not for the "upper class".

In my opinion it is far less cruel, to eat say, a pheasant or mallard that has had a totally free-range life, all its needs catered for, and a good chance of surviving the shooting season than it is to eat a chicken that has not moved out of a six-inch square section of a barn in its 39 day life.

I have eaten and shot pheasant, partridge, mallard, woodpigeon and woodcock and they are all much better than chicken or turkey and should be more widely avaliable.

 

[Zenzero]

I've never eaten game but I happened to be in our local Waitrose today and I saw they had packs of game meat for casseroles.
They comprised mixed Pheasant, Partridge, Mallard, Woodpigeon, all cut into into anonymous small pieces and sealed in the usual sort of meat packaging.

I picked one up and considered it for a while, but then chickened out (literally).
I've never seen anything like this in a supermarket before - I can't imagine it will be available for long though.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

There used often to be oven-ready pheasants in our local supermarket (ASDA), but the price was so silly (£3.95 a hen at the time, 5 or more years ago) that they stayed on the shelf as far as I was concerned because I knew that if I could be bothered to go to one of the local shoots I could buy a brace of pheasants for a couple of quid in feather or about three quid drawn.

Rabbit recently at Tesco was something extortionate, about 10 quid a kilo, equivalent price. When I was in Spain in September I bought jointed rabbit in the supermarket around the corner for 6 eros, say 4 quid a kilo and there was plenty on offer - good healthy, tasty fat-free meat. It's not so long since you could buy rabbit cheaply in any British butchers, but a wheel's come off in the past decade or so and British customers have become stupidly squeemish about the meat they eat.

Your game mix would probably have been lovely in a casserole or a pie, but I'm betting that the portion in the little yellow tray would have been too small for any useful purpose. They seem to delight in selling stuff like this in 250 gramme packs, which are way too small for even two servings. They also charge silly money and wonder why they don't sell.

 

[Zenzero]

I'd agree about the usual silly price but these were on a special offer of 2 x 340g packs for £6 which seemed not unreasonable and made me consider it in the first place.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

It would have been worth a try at that price.

I used to make up a game pie mix consisting of;

A couple of wild rabbits from a bloke I know, 50p each
Half a dozen woodpigeon from the same bloke, a quid
A brace of pheasants from the local shoot, about £2.50 or £3
A pound of dry-cured bacon from the butcher
Two large onions, finely chopped.
Thyme and sage and maybe some oregano.
If any other game was available it went in too.

I'd cook the rabbits and pheasants separately and reserve some of the stock to moisten the pie mix.

This would make a couple of dozen individual pies in those small rectangular trays. Baked and frozen, I'd take one or two out in my fishing bag if I was out for the day. Nicely defrosted by lunch-time.

I don't seem to get round to doing that sort of stuff lately, but that's probably to do with the fact that I haven't seen my mate with the rabbits and pigeons for a while, coupled with the fact that I don't have as much time for fishing as I used to.


PS Once the meat was stripped off the pheasants, the bones went into a pot for a couple of hours, great stock for soup. Duck bones make great stock too.

 

[Nina P]

I heard about this from my mum who used to cook and serve, road kill pheasant, or Rabbit, but I personally didn't like the taste of either meat, possibly I have a tendency to vegetarianism? But when I hear Bill Oddie turned up his nose I would have done exactly the same, good on yer Bill! I am not anti Hunt, but prefer to see the animals running free. Different if the creatures had been accidentally killed on the road, (Personally never seen a mallard killed in this way) but even then I may well baulk at the idea of eating such, but that is just me.
When Bill is such an avid bird lover, you would have thought that the 'Chef' would have used common sense and been more careful of what he was offerring someone with such bird orientated affection. Personally I would have crowned the chef with his own rolling pin!

 

[Brian Stone]

I'm a massive wildlife fan but have no worries eating 'wild' food. Then I was brought up killing, preparing and eating my own food - mainly rabbit and pheasant. If people were familiar with where their food comes from from an early age perhaps we wouldn't be having this discussion.

I don't think most vegetarians can get away with this either as the amount of wildlife killed and excluded from arable land is huge. You'd certainly get more wildlife on the land the Mallard was taken from in any case.

Incidentally, I would think twice before eating Woodcock simply because they seem to have declined so much (anecdotally around here anyway) and I'd want to see what the levels were before continuing to take them from the wild.

 

[rozinante]

What so people feel about wildfowl being eaten in this way? Are we for it or against it?.

I have no objection to what people eat, it's what they kill I object too. No qualms at all about "road kill" man for instance (so long as he doesn't resort to the jam sarnie technique). The claim that hunting wildlife is a valid and viable method of food production in an affluent and leisured post industrial society is far more difficult to swallow.

If the fact that the victims are eaten is considered as justification for the killing, wouldn't the only limit as to what was acceptable to kill be the diet of the hunter?

Likewise if legality were the definitive factor for the acceptance or rejection of blood sports, there would never have been any progress made towards the more humane approach most of us now adopt.