Pheasant vin blanc

This is a simple recipe for pheasant.  Nonetheless it is quite delicious.

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

Cooking Time: 65 Mins

Total Time: 80 Mins

Ingredients

For 3 servings…

½                   Lemon  - sliced        

3 rashers          Bacon  - streaky, smoked        

1                    Pheasant   

1                    Onion  - quartered    

6                    Cloves       

1                    Bay leaf     

                     Pepper      

                     Salt          

10 cl               Wine  - dry white     

10 cl               Stock        

4                    Carrots  - sliced       

4 sticks            Celery  - sliced        

2 tbs               Cornflour   

Method

Place the lemon and bacon on the breast of the pheasant and secure with string.  Put the pheasant in a flameproof casserole only a little larger than the bird and add the onion, cloves, bay leaf, seasonings, wine and stock.

Bring up to the boil, cover and cook in a moderate oven at 180°C for 30 minutes.  Baste the pheasant and add the carrots and celery.  Replace the lid and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes.  Discard the onion, cloves and bay leaf, place the pheasant on a serving dish surrounded with the carrots and celery and keep warm.

Thicken the juices with cornflour blended in a little cold water and bring back to the boil.  Adjust seasonings and serve the sauce with the pheasant.

Variations

The recipe can be employed to cook partridges.

Wine recommendations

A Bordeaux-style wine.

Conventional

     Claret

Interesting

     Bourgueil

     Chinon

     Côtes de Bourg

     Irouleguy

     Saumur-Champigny