festive pheasant

Wild Pheasant with Carrot puree, Chorizo & Cider Cream Sauce

As featured in Market Harborough Magazine

Serves 4festive pheasant

Ingredients

  • 8 x Pheasant Breasts (available from Bates Butchers)
  • 16 x Slices of Pancetta or Streaky Bacon
  • 4 x Long Slices Chorizo
  • 4 x Large Carrots
  • 200ml good Cider
  • 100ml Double Cream
  • 1x Tablespoon Sunflower Oil
  • 1/3 of a Chicken Stock Cube
  • 1x Diced Shallot
  • 1x Clove of Garlic diced
  • 100g Butter
  • 50ml Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper for seasoning

Method

  1. Peel and chop the carrots into equal pieces and place into a pan of hot water with a pinch of salt and cook on a high heat for 15 mins or until soft.
  2. Whilst the carrots are cooking, lay 2 pieces of pancetta or streaky bacon length ways by the side of each other and wrap 1 pheasant breast. Repeat this until all of the pheasant breasts are wrapped.
  3. Place a non stick pan on a high heat with the sunflower oil in and leave to heat up. When hot place your pheasant into the pan and season. Seal both sides until nicely caramelised. Be careful not to burn the bacon. Turn your heat down to a medium heat and continue to cook each side for 4 minutes. When cooked the pheasant will still be slightly pink and juicy in the middle. If you prefer your meat cooked more leave them in the pan until they are cooked to your liking. When satisfied with the cooking of your pheasant take out of the pan and leave to rest in a warm place on a plate.
  4. Turn the heat back up on your pan and add the diced shallot & garlic. When caramelised add the cider along with a 1/3 of a chicken stock cube. Reduce this liquor down by ½. Then add the cream and continue to reduce for 2- 3 minutes until you have a nice velvety sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you want to enrich the sauce you can add 50g of butter. Be careful not to split the sauce.
  5. Drain the carrots when cooked and push with the back of a spoon to drain as much water as possible. Then use a stick blender to get a smooth puree adding 50g of butter and 50ml of olive oil. Season to taste.
  6. Place the chorizo on a tray and cook under a hot grill for 1-2 minutes until crispy.
  7. To plate, place a generous portion of puree on the plate and drag through with the back of a spoon. Lay your chorizo to one side and slice your pheasant and place on top of the chorizo, spoon around your sauce.
  8. Serve with winter greens and creamy mash potatoes if you prefer

Wine Choice

A good wine choice for this pheasant would be a strong chardonnay from Burgundy i.e. Macon Village or Meursault. Make sure whatever wine you choose has lots of body and plenty of butteryness as well as a good crisp citrus note so that it cuts though the richness of the pheasant. If you prefer red wine then choose a Pinot Noir, preferably from Burgundy, France or even a Marlborough from New Zealand. The ripe red fruits of strawberries and cherries are a good partner for this rich dish.