Game Over... Fruity Pot Roasted Pheasant

So the autumn equinox has come and gone and tonight we put the clocks back - an annual ritual which well and truly heralds the advent of the winter months. One of the compensations of this time of the year however, as we witness the disappearing sun and lengthening hours of darkness is the abundance and variety of game available in our local butchers. At the moment he is offering succulent pheasant at a very reasonable price of less than £3.50 per bird. The one we cooked was ample for two people making it a very economical dish and tasty to boot!

Pot roasting the game helps to keep the breast meet from drying out whilst at the same time allowing the leg joints to become tender.

Ingredients

1 medium sized pheasant
1 large apple (sliced)
3 - 4 Plums
250 mls Apple or dark fruit cider
1 small red onion (chopped)
4 - 5 cms Chorizo
Sprig Rosemary
2 Bay leaves
Juice and rind of one lime
Seasoning
Butter / Olive oil
Cream
2 Tbsps Blackcurrant or Blackberry jam



Method

Melt butter and olive oil in a casserole dish  season and brown the pheasant on all sides. Remove and set aside. Sautee the onion and chorizo until translucent and then add the apple and plums. Then add in the cider, rosemary, bay leaves and lime juice and rind. and put the pheasant back in. The liquid should come well up the sides of the bird. Cover and place in the oven at 180 C for about an hour. Baste occasionally. About 15 minutes before you are ready to eat remove the bird from the dish and allow to rest. Spoon in the jam and dissolve then add the cream. Strain into a sauce boat. Halve the pheasant, pour the jus over and serve with Game chips or sauteed potatoes.






Posted by incredibly fed