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Harbour House on Vancouver Island.
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Sinclair believes in local ingredients, freshness and learning about and using wild ingredients from the native peoples.
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His restaurant has vegetable and herb gardens full of plants transplanted from the bush for use in the kitchen.
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At Sooke, chefs prepare this dish with a salad of foraged wild greens and flowers: amaranth, chicory, chickweed, lamb's quarters, orache, shepherd's purse, and sorrel.
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Alder: a deciduous tree, member of the birch family with woody cone like fruits.
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Common in swamps and mountainous areas.
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[ I am going to try black spruce cones- our commonest local tree.
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(Update: this was a terrible idea- bitter tarry smoked taste) If which doesn't work I can fall back on store bought fruit wood chips or possibly do a Chinese Tea Smoke.- JW]
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Licorice Fern: I have no idea what it's geographic range is or possibly what flavor it's root would impart.
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Based on it's name I am going to try diced Fennel bulb, Fennel seed or possibly a _wee_ bit of Star Anise stewed in Port instead.-JW
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Salal Berries: Salal is a low [up to 2 meter] evergreen shrub of the Heath family native to California, B.C.
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and Alaska with white to pink urn shaped flowers and round purple berries that turn black.
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[There are none locally so I will be experimenting with cranberries or possibly black currants.- JW]
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Directions:In a small covered sauce pan, gently simmer fern root in icewine and water for 20 minutes.
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Pour into a glass jar, seal and let stand at room temp for 12 hrs.
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Strain into a small saucepan and boil, uncovered, on high till reduced to a thick syrup.
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Set aside.
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Heat alder cones in a large aluminum foil lined sauce pan over high heat till they smoulder.
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Reduce heat to low; place grouse breasts directly on top of the smouldering cones.
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Lightly brush the breasts with the fern root glaze; cover pan tightly.
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Smoke breasts for 3 hrs or possibly till cooked but not dry.
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Remove the meat from the bone and serve with Juniper-Salal Berry Sauce.
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For the sauce: Pour 1 c. water and the wine into the bottom of a per- forated double boiler.
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Place the salal berries in the top section.
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Cover; simmer gently for two hrs.
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Gently press berries with a rubber spatula to extract remaining juice.
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Throw away berries; reserving syrup in the bottom of the double boiler.
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To the salal syrup, add in the maple syrup, peppercorns, juniper berries, remaining water and balsamic vinegar.
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Bring to the boil and immediately remove from the heat; let stand an hour before returning to the heat.
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Cook, uncovered, till slightly thickened.
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Chill till needed.
