Pot Roasted Pheasant With Port And Chestnuts Recipes

POT-ROASTED PHEASANT WITH PORT AND CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Start off by melting half the butter and olive oil in a medium-sized casserole. Season the pheasants with salt and pepper, then when the butter begins to sizzle add one of the pheasants to the casserole then brown it all over, using a spoon and fork to manoeuvre it so that all sides get a nice golden-brown. Then transfer it to a plate and repeat with the other pheasant, removing that too to a plate when it is browned. Now add the rest of the butter and oil to the casserole and when that's hot add the shallots and bacon and toss them around till nicely browned, then transfer them to a plate. Return the pheasants to the casserole, arranging them side by side (breast side up), then return the shallots and bacon, add the mushrooms and garlic, and tuck the bay leaves and sprigs of thyme in amongst them. Season well with salt and pepper at this stage, then pour in the port and wine. Bring it all up to simmering point, then reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer (but make sure it actually is simmering with faint bubbles coming to the surface), cover with a lid and let it cook for 30 minutes. After that time add the chestnuts, bring it back to simmering point, cover and cook for a further 30 minutes When the pheasants are cooked, remove them to a carving board. Mix the flour and 1 rounded tablespoon butter together then add this mixture to the other ingredients in half-teaspoon sized lumps. Whisk the sauce back up to simmering point to thicken slightly. Carve and serve half a pheasant per person, garnished with the chestnuts, bacon, shallots and mushrooms and a generous amount of sauce. Some baby sprouts and mashed potato go very well with this.

POT-ROASTED PHEASANT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Dust the pheasants with the flour, then heat the oil in a large flameproof dish. Brown the pheasants all over, then remove from the dish.
• In the same dish, fry the bacon, vegetables, garlic and herbs with 1 tbsp of the dusting flour for 5 mins, until the vegetables start to colour. Put the pheasants and any resting juices back in the dish, pour on the Marsala, wine and stock, add the sugar, then cover and cook for 1 hr 30 mins - 1 hr 50 mins or until the leg meat easily comes away from the bone. Serve with bread sauce.

BRAISED PHEASANT WITH CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Make the stock by simmering the pheasant neck and gizzard with the onion, carrot and celery, salt and pepper, thyme and bayleaf for 20 minutes. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a casserole large enough to hold the pheasant surrounded by vegetables in one layer. Saute the carrots, shallots and turnips in the butter until they are golden brown. Sprinkle the flour on the pheasant and brown in the butter. Turn down heat, cover and leave to simmer.
• Meanwhile, make a short vertical slit through the top of the chestnuts toward the bottom. Simmer for five minutes in boiling water. Remove with a slotted spoon one at a time and peel while hot. If your allow the chestnuts to cool, the inner skin sticks to the chestnut. Use rubber gloves if you cannot peel the chestnuts with your bare fingers.
• Add the chestnuts to the casserole . Add the wine and one cup of stock. Cover and cook for half an hour. Test the pheasant for doneness and season with salt and pepper. Remove the pheasant to a serving dish. If the sauce is too liquid, bring to a boil and reduce. If it is too thick, add more stock.
• Arrange the vegetables and sauce around the pheasant and serve hot.