James Mackenzie’s pheasant breast with parsnip puree, Brussels sprouts and brambles

INGREDIENTS For the pickled blackberries: For the parsnip puree: For the parkin crumb: METHOD

Begin by marinating the pheasant breasts. Add the oil, juniper, thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper to a ziplock bag with the pheasant, squeeze out the air and seal. Leave overnight in the fridge.

To pickle the blackberries, add all of the ingredients (except the blackberries) to a pan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool, then add the blackberries and leave to pickle for at least one hour.

For the parsnip puree, add the sliced parsnips, cream and water to a pan, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes, until the parsnips are very soft. Strain, reserving the cream, and add the parsnips to a blender. Add a splash of the cooking liquor to the parsnips and blitz until smooth and silky. Season to taste and set aside to reheat later. Preheat an oven to 190°C/gas mark 5.

To prepare the parkin, crumble the cake into small pieces and spread out onto a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for eight minutes to dry out and crisp up, stirring halfway through. Keep the oven on. Next, cook the sprouts. Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan and add the sprouts. Cook over a medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes until gnarled and crispy. Season with a pinch of salt and the cider vinegar and keep warm.

To cook the pheasant, remove the breasts from the marinade. Add a generous glug of oil to a hot pan and shallow-fry the breasts, skin-side down, for 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Once golden, turn over the breasts and place in the oven for a further 5-6 minutes. Remove and rest for at least five minutes after cooking.

To serve, add a spoonful of parsnip puree in the centre of each plate and use the back of the spoon to spread it into