Episode 63: Pheasant
BABY ORGANIC GREENS WITH GRILLED SQUAB AND BLACK OLIVE VINAIGRETTE
2 squabs halved and de-boned
salt & pepper
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoons dijon mustard
½ cup olive oil, cold pressed
5 tablespoons chopped, pitted black olives (kalamata)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Mixed greens for four
Preparation time is 20 minutes.
Ease of preparation is easy.
Season squab with salt and pepper. Grill squab skin side down and cook to medium, about 12 minutes. Set aside.
Whisk vinegar and mustard slowly adding olive oil. Add chopped olives and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and arrange greens on plate.
Place warm squab on salad and drizzle vinaigrette over and around squab.
Yield: 4 servings
ROASTED BREAST OF PHEASANT WITH POTATO ROSTI, TOMATO CONFIT AND A THYME- SCENTED NATURAL PHEASANT REDUCTION
2 medium size cooking onions
1 stalk of celery
2 large carrots
1 kilogram pheasant bones
½ cup white wine
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons juniper berries
12 springs fresh thyme
10 whole black peppercorns
6 Roma tomatoes
1 cup olive oil + 3 tablespoons
4 Breasts of pheasant
4 Yukon gold potatoes
2 tablespoons cold sweet butter- into 1/8 inch cubes
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Preparation time 120 minutes.
Ease of preparation is moderate.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut onions, celery and carrots in half lengthwise and roast in pheasant bones until lightly browned (approximately 40 minutes) stirring occasionally. Place all bones and vegetables in stockpot and just cover with cold water.
Deglaze the roasting pan with white wine. Add bay leaves, berries and 8 sprigs of thyme and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer and turn down heat, gently simmer for approximately 1 hour skimming the stock every 10 minutes. Strain and reduce the stock until 1 ½ cups of liquid are left. Set aside.
Wash and half tomatoes (removing stem end) and place in shallow roasting dish, preferably ceramic, add olive oil and cut tomatoes. Bake in oven skin side up for approximately 30 minutes. Set aside when cooked.
Season pheasant breasts and sear skin side down on medium heat in no oil, turn over after 2 minutes and place in oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until medium rare to medium. Remove from oven and rest for 15 minutes. Deglaze pan with water and add drippings to stock mixture.
Heat a 6 to 8 inch non-stick pan to medium heat. Grate potatoes in a course grater or on a mandolin. Add olive oil to pan and place grated potatoes in pan and cook until bottom is golden brown and does not stick to pan. Flip over and place in oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Let cool on wire rack.
Reduce stock mixture to ½ cup and whip in butter, add remaining fresh thyme and parsley and season with salt and pepper.
Cut rosti potato in 4 pieces and place on plates. Place 3 half confit of tomatoes on top of rosti. Place pheasant breast on top of tomatoes. Finish with sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
