Bacon Wrapped Dove with Figs
Tender dove meat, crispy bacon, and sweet figs create a harmonious blend of savory and sweet.
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 1 lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons) and the zest
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 2 cups chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Dove Poppers
- 12 dove breasts 24 halves
- 12 medium jalapeno peppers halved lengthwise and seeded
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 12 figs halved
- 1 pound bacon strips thinly cut
Instructions
- Using a food processor, blend all the marinade ingredients. Place dove breasts into a zip top bag and pour the marinade mixture over the dove. Remove the air from the bag, seal it, and leave in the fridge overnight.
- With a meat mallet, pound the dove meat into a 3-inch x 4-inch rectangle.
- Add about a teaspoon of cream cheese into the cavity of the halved jalapenos. Slice the fig to fit the width of the jalapeno’s cavity and place the fig on top of the cream cheese. Wrap stuffed jalapeno dove popper with bacon. Secure the bacon with a toothpick.
- Get your grill hot with the coals on one side. Use tongs to place the dove seam side down onto the grill over the side with the coals. Once the bacon is browned, move the popper to the side without the coals to finish cooking. When the pepper is easily pierced, your popper will be done.
Notes
You can bake these poppers seam side down on a baking sheet or roasting pan in a 350°F oven for 25 minutes. You can also cook them on the stovetop in a cast-iron skillet: start with the poppers seam side down, turn them to get the bacon completely done on each side, and then turn the heat down and cook until done.
If you don’t like cream cheese, you could always use mascarpone or even gouda. All are perfectly acceptable.
If you don’t have fresh figs (they are very perishable), then dried figs, dates, or dried apricots will work beautifully.
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