This is the perfect winter dinner party dish, or a nice alternative to the traditional roast Pheasant.
* 50g butter
* Salt and Pepper (to taste)
* 2 Small Pheasants or 1 Large Pheasant
* 200g diced Smoked Bacon or Pancetta
* 225g whole Sweet Chestnuts (these can be frozen or vacuum packed)
* 3 Leeks (sliced)
* 150ml White Wine
* 300ml Chicken stock
* 2 tbsp Redcurrant Jelly
* 1 Small Orange (quartered)
Note: You will need a croc pot or a heavy bottomed fry pan with a lid to cook this dish.
Note: This dish is delicious served with a mash of Celeriac and Potato and Red Cabbage (see tips below for making this extra tasty).
- Heat the oven to 150 degrees.
- Seal the outsides of the Pheasant in the pan (or croc pot) with a little of the butter then set aside to rest.
- Add the remained of the butter and once melted cook the Bacon, Leek and Chestnuts till fragrant, Bacon cooked and Leeks softened.
- Stir through the Redcurrant Jelly then gradually add the Chicken Stock and White Wine till everything comes to a slow boil.
- Remove from stove and place the Pheasants and Orange pieces in the pot with the vegetables and juices, cover with the lid and place in the heated oven.
- Cook for approx. 1 hour 20 minutes and if possible braise the meat with the juices every 20 minutes.
- While cooking, prepare a baking dish, you could also start making your mash accompaniment.
- Remove from oven and turn oven up to 200 degrees. Take Pheasants from pot and place on prepared baking tray, return to the oven for 15mins to brown the skin. Once cooked remove from oven and cover in foil – leave to rest for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime remove oranges from the vegetable stew, then collect the juices from them by squeezing through a sieve, I then usually use this juice to cook Red Cabbage which I serve alongside the Pheasant. Alternatively you could add the juices back into the stew.
- Place the stew on the stove at a low temperature, so that is simmers and reduces whilst the meat is browning.
- Serve with Mash, Cabbage, Pheasant Portions and a ladle of the juices and vegetables; you could also put some Redcurrant Jelly on the table.
