Sunday 16 January 2011

What a pleasant pheasant.

As I was out shooting (and missing everything except air) on Saturday, it was only right that I cooked pheasant on my return home. As luck would have it, the game keeper handed out each brace of pheasant oven ready, so there was no need to re-enact the carnage that was the boyfriend and I sorting out the birds I was given last time, within the warmth of the living room, in front of the fire (don't ever try it, we were dealing with a brace of duck, messy times). Like most ideas that seem good at the time, it wasn't.

I made space for Mr Pheasant in the freezer, and cooked Mrs Pheasant according to the Gospel that is boyfriend's Mum. I don't think she's ever shot or plucked a pheasant but she definately knows how to cook one. And so began pheasant in cider with apples and cream. Use one pheasant for two people.

Middle sister said last dish looked like sick so you get pheasant in flight.
In a suitably sized casserole dish, brown your pheasant all over in a good splash of olive oil, seasoning as you go. Add half a finely chopped onion and soften. Add a peeled, cored and sliced apple, mix in and then pour in 200ml of cider (I very nearly used the left-over-from-a-party can of Magners and realised that would not do Mrs Pheasant justice, so sacrificed a glass of the Aspalls I was slurping, only right with this dish). Lay the pheasant on its side, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover. After half an hour turn your bird over and cook for another half hour at least, with the lid still on. Sometimes the bird gets nice and tender, if its an ol' bird, perhaps not, but always tasty. Pull the bird out, keep warm and stir in 150ml single cream. Carve up the pheasant in four pieces, a breast and leg per person, serve with mash and veg, and pour the delicious sauce everywhere. Be sure to gnaw the legs and lick your plate.

6 comments:

  1. So pleased you have posted a Pheasant recipe as I was going to request one! I have two Misters disembled in the freezer so I will have to try this one next time. Unfortunately ours were not oven ready so the cat and dog looked on tentatively as we battled with our brace in the utility room! Feathers everywhere!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad you've found it useful! It's so easy and best pheasant recipe I've found. Please feel free to request any recipes! Yeah plucking etc much better done outside but it has been sooo cold this winter!! x

    ReplyDelete
  3. This sounds very nice indeed... love pheasant! If your interested I have a pheasant and polenta recipe that is absolutely fantastic. My mum always makes it for me. It is from the Parma region (Italy) and it is a real heart warmer. Ohh and it must be eaten with lots of red wine.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes please Jessica!! the red wine accompaniment has already won me over! My boyfriend and I have been beating quite a bit over the last few weeks so hope to get a few more Pheasants before the season is out. Very impressed that you actually do the shooting Little Dinner Lady, I want to try and have some lessons this year xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Come on then Jess, share the pheasant love, especially as it will be a nice authentic Italiano recipe! If you email it to me or post it, I will cook it and post it, obviously crediting your Mama!! x

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oooh so excited just discovered you have a blog, and all about cooking - even better. I still dream of that wonderful Thai you cooked Phil and I with all the wonderful thai veggies I had never tried, it is so rare now to be introduced to new things. Has made me so hungry looking at your Blog as am seriously starving anyway as started diet today so have only munched diet breakfast biscuits, Special K (cardboard) for lunch and 2 enormous homemade (Yum recipe in Nigella KITCHEN) Choc chip cookies(whoops!)at about 3 o clock, having delish sups though as have to keep husb company! x

    ReplyDelete