Suffolk Pheasant to share, served with boulangère potatoes, sprouts and chestnuts
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- One pheasant – prepared
- 2 L good chicken stock
- 8 rashers of streaky bacon or pancetta
Garnish:
- 8 Potatoes thinly sliced
- 4 Onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 100g butter
- 250g Brussels sprouts
- 1 pack of vacuum packed chestnuts or fresh or frozen equivalent (approx 350g)
- 6 baby onions
- Double cream to finish
- ½ lemon
Method:
- Prepare the Boulangère potatoes in advance by greasing a small tray.
- Caramelise the sliced onions by cooking slowly until they reduce.
- Add 250ml of the chicken stock and season.
- In the greased tray place alternate layers of sliced potato and the onion gravy.
- Finish with a few knobs of butter.
- Heat the oven to 160° and cook the potatoes for 30 minutes. The increase the heat to 180°. This is a good time to start on the pheasant.
- Bring 1.75L of the chicken stock to simmering point.
- Place the prepared pheasant in the simmering stock and poach for 2 minutes breast down and 2 minutes on its back, to keep the meat moist.
- Remove the bird and reduce the stock to a syrup consistency.
- Cover the bird with 4 of the rashers and roast in the oven at 180°C for 5 minutes.
- Leave the bird to rest whilst preparing the garnish.
- Top and half the sprouts and simmer in a pan of salted water for 4 minutes.
- Drop the baby onions in boiling water for 2 minutes to cook.
- Grill the remaining bacon or pancetta.
- Sauté the onions and chestnuts to colour and add the bacon, diced and the sprouts.
- Deglaze the pan with the reduced chicken stock and add the lemon zest, seasoning and enough cream to create a sauce consistency.
- To finish, remove the legs and breast from the bird. Place on the boulangère potatoes and garnish with the bacon, vegetables and sauce.
