Festive, Uncategorized

Roast Pheasant with all the trimmings

 

TO SERVE ROASTED PHEASANT YOU WILL NEED

2 pheasants (about 800-900g each), oven-ready, preferably hen pheasants

50ml rapeseed oil (or other non-scented oil)

20g unsalted butter (optional)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

TO MAKE A PHEASANT JUS YOU WILL NEED

100ml red wine

50ml ruby port

2 crushed juniper berries

1 sprig fresh thyme

 

TO MAKE BREAD SAUCE YOU WILL NEED

10g/¼oz unsalted butter

50g/1¾oz white onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme

2 cloves, crushed

2 pinches salt

10g/¼oz small bacon Lardons

150ml/5fl oz. full-fat milk

1 slice white bread, broken into pieces

 

Method

For the roasted pheasant, use the AGA Roasting Oven.  Using your ElectricKit digital programmer,  preheat the oven to 190C .  If you are using a conventional oven, set your temperature to      375F/Gas 5.

On a medium heat,(no. 5 on your hob)  in an ovenproof frying pan, heat the rapeseed oil and butter (if using) until foaming.

In addition, lay the pheasants in your frying pan, covered with the rape seed oil and cook until golden-brown in colour (about 3-5 minutes) on the leg sides. Turn the pheasants onto their breast side to colour for a further 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to your roasting tin and cook for 30 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time. To check the pheasant is correctly cooked, you can use a meat thermometer – the breast temperature for a cock pheasant should reach 63C/145F and for a hen 60C/140F. (The leg temperature should reach 80-82C/175-180F.)

When cooked, set the pheasant aside in a warm place, covered, to rest.

How to make the Jus

Spoon out the fat from the pan and add the wine, port, juniper and thyme into the roasting pan. On a high heat quickly cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by one third. Scrape the caramelised juices off the bottom of the pan to make the jus. Taste and season if necessary. Strain and reserve in a warmed jug.

For the bread sauce

In a small saucepan on a low heat(no 5 on your hob)  gently heat the butter and fry the onion with the herbs, crushed cloves and salt for two minutes, or until soft. Add the bacon lardons and continue to cook uncovered for one minute.

Add the milk, bring to a simmer and stir in the pieces of bread until the sauce is smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve, carve the pheasant and serve it over a mound of bread sauce with the jus poured over.

 

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