Recipe: Braised Squirrel With Bacon, Mushrooms, and Pinot No

Ingredients

• 4 squirrels, cleaned
• 1 bottle of Pinot Noir or other dry, light-bodied red wine
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp. juniper berries, cracked
• 1 tsp. black peppercorns, cracked
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 slices good-quality country bacon, cut into 1-inch dice
• 1 cup pearl onions, peeled
• 2 cups forest mushrooms (shiitake, morel, chanterelle, oyster, or your favorite variety)
• 2 small carrots, diced
• 1 large stalk celery, diced
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• About 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste