Pot-roast pheasant with fino & porcini
As oven temperatures vary, check your birds as they roast – the leg meat should come away from the bone easily when ready – so you don’t overcook them. Resting is also important, so allow time for that.
QQServes 4 Prep 40 mins plus resting Cook 1 hr 30 mins
Q15g dried porcini
2 x 800g oven-ready pheasants 8 slices prosciutto
2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil 2 bay leaves
30g unsalted butter
6 juniper berries, crushed 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked 10 small round shallots, peeled 1 tbsp plain flour
200ml fino sherry
500ml chicken stock
300g seedless red grapes
150ml double cream
1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Soak the porcini in 100ml boiling water for 10 mins. Drain, reserving the stock.
2 Cover each pheasant in four overlapping prosciutto slices and tie each in place with kitchen string. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Season the birds and brown one at a time in the pan, starting with the breast side, for a few minutes, then turn until golden all over, about 8 mins. Tuck the bay leaves into the
cavities, then put into one large or two medium flameproof lidded casserole dishes. 3 Melt the butter in the pan on the hob, and fry the juniper berries, thyme, shallots and some seasoning for 5-10 mins, until the shallots are golden brown. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 min. Turn up the heat and pour in the sherry, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Cook for 1-2 mins, stirring, then add the stock and mushroom water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 mins to reduce by a third, then pour into the casserole.
4 Cover the casserole tightly with foil, then the lid. Roast for 20 mins, then uncover and roast for a further 15-20 mins, or until cooked through. Lift the pheasants onto a platter, cover and rest for at least 10 mins.
5 Meanwhile, add the grapes, porcini and cream to the liquor in the casserole and cook over a gentle heat for 10-15 mins. While this is cooking, carve the breasts and legs off the birds, put in a roasting tin and cover with foil. Just before serving, return to the oven at 150C/130C fan/gas 2 for 3 mins to heat through. Serve the meat with the sauce.
PER SERVING 772 kcals, fat 60g, saturates 27g,
carbs 27g, sugars 20g, fibre 4g, protein 17g, salt 2.1g