Recipes
Roast pheasant with balsamic Brussels sprouts with parsnip purée
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1. Remove the legs and breasts from the pheasant.
2. Season the legs with salt and freshly ground black pepper, place in a deep sided casserole dish, cover with vegetable oil and cook on a low heat for 1 hour.
3. Place a sprig of rosemary on top of each of the pheasant breasts and wrap with the bacon. Set aside.
4. Place the pheasant carcass in a large saucepan and add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and parsley stalks. Cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes.
5. Strain and return the liquid to the heat. Simmer until reduced by half. Reserve this stock to use in the sauce.
6. Cook the parsnips and potatoes in plenty of boiling salted water until soft. Mash with the butter, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the parsley.
7. Bring a separate large saucepan of salted boiling water to the boil and blanch the brussels sprouts. Drain and set aside.
8. Fry the bacon lardons in a large frying pan over a moderate heat until crisp.
9. Add the blanched sprouts, balsamic vinegar and butter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
10. Heat the olive oil in a separate frying pan and fry the pheasant breasts for 7-8 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to rest in a warm place.
11. To make the cassis jus, deglaze the pan with the red wine and cassis. Add the reserved pheasant stock and bubble until reduced by two-thirds.
12. Serve the breast, together with the leg confit, vegetables and cassis jus.
Cook's Notes
With all game birds, care is needed to avoid overcooking, which can make the flesh dry.
The hen pheasant is smaller and will serve two people perfectly, while the cock bird is larger and may even serve three.
2. Season the legs with salt and freshly ground black pepper, place in a deep sided casserole dish, cover with vegetable oil and cook on a low heat for 1 hour.
3. Place a sprig of rosemary on top of each of the pheasant breasts and wrap with the bacon. Set aside.
4. Place the pheasant carcass in a large saucepan and add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and parsley stalks. Cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes.
5. Strain and return the liquid to the heat. Simmer until reduced by half. Reserve this stock to use in the sauce.
6. Cook the parsnips and potatoes in plenty of boiling salted water until soft. Mash with the butter, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the parsley.
7. Bring a separate large saucepan of salted boiling water to the boil and blanch the brussels sprouts. Drain and set aside.
8. Fry the bacon lardons in a large frying pan over a moderate heat until crisp.
9. Add the blanched sprouts, balsamic vinegar and butter. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
10. Heat the olive oil in a separate frying pan and fry the pheasant breasts for 7-8 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to rest in a warm place.
11. To make the cassis jus, deglaze the pan with the red wine and cassis. Add the reserved pheasant stock and bubble until reduced by two-thirds.
12. Serve the breast, together with the leg confit, vegetables and cassis jus.
Cook's Notes
With all game birds, care is needed to avoid overcooking, which can make the flesh dry.
The hen pheasant is smaller and will serve two people perfectly, while the cock bird is larger and may even serve three.
