SERVES 2

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Roasting grouse with tart crab apples makes for a delicious dish. Domestic wild game, including grouse and woodcock, can' t legally be sold in the U.S., but some imported game, including Scottish (red) grouse, is available through specialty food companies.

1 dressed ruffed grouse or 2 Scottish
(red) grouse
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp. butter
1 lb. small crab apples, stemmed and
(if larger crab apples are used) halved
4 tbsp. sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Season grouse inside and out with salt and pepper.

2. Melt butter in a medium roasting pan over medium heat. Add apples, sprinkle with sugar, and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until apples are glazed and beginning to soften, about 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat and spoon some apples into grouse cavity, then put grouse, breast side up, into pan, pushing remaining apples to sides of pan. Brush grouse with buttery juices from pan.

3. Transfer pan with grouse and apples to oven and roast until juices run clear when thigh is pierced, 15- 30 minutes, depending on size of grouse. Let grouse rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Serve grouse with the roasted apples and pan juices.