Recently I have been getting a taste for game and at the weekend I visited Portobello Road market in London. Strangely, as one of the few genuine Londoners, I've never been up there. It's basically a tat market but there are a few gem-like stalls thrown in there, some cool shops, fashion and plenty of places to get food. I spotted a butcher's stall and he had a row of ready-to-roast pheasants for £5 each. This is a few pounds less than they will cost me locally so I decided to go for one. While I was there looking at them trying to get my gloves off the man said I could have one for £4 - bargain! Sunday dinner became this, roast pheasant:
It couldn't be more convenient, packed up like a chicken, so no plucking or gutting needed. One pheasant will feed two people with seconds:
Out the pack it didn't smell too gamey. When the meat is hung for a long time it can smell like it's off and when I've had pheasant in the past it can be a bit off putting for a first-timer. This one was just right:
Oven on to 220 degrees, I wrapped the bird in streaky bacon and put in a knob of duck fat:
With this I have a Decanter magazine bronze award winner from M&S. Cabernet Sauvignon from Oc region of France which is south and sunny. Look out for this region because there are some great wines coming from there at the moment. Currently on offer at £3.99 which puts it in that price bracket which I normally avoid, but the decanter award tells me otherwise so I took the chance:
After 45 mins to an hour the bird is done cooking, it then wants to sit under some foil for 15 mins or so to rest:
While it rested I reduced down a glass of red wine with some chicken stock I'd made previosuly and frozen to make gravy. Game likes fruit and sweetness but I don't like fruit with meat so I went for a red wine reduction in the gravy and it worked well.
Carve up and serve with potatoes roasted in duck fat, roast parsnips and lightly creamed spinach with a light grate of nutmeg and you have a hearty roast dinner:
Mind your teeth on the shot
It couldn't be more convenient, packed up like a chicken, so no plucking or gutting needed. One pheasant will feed two people with seconds:
Out the pack it didn't smell too gamey. When the meat is hung for a long time it can smell like it's off and when I've had pheasant in the past it can be a bit off putting for a first-timer. This one was just right:
Oven on to 220 degrees, I wrapped the bird in streaky bacon and put in a knob of duck fat:
With this I have a Decanter magazine bronze award winner from M&S. Cabernet Sauvignon from Oc region of France which is south and sunny. Look out for this region because there are some great wines coming from there at the moment. Currently on offer at £3.99 which puts it in that price bracket which I normally avoid, but the decanter award tells me otherwise so I took the chance:
After 45 mins to an hour the bird is done cooking, it then wants to sit under some foil for 15 mins or so to rest:
While it rested I reduced down a glass of red wine with some chicken stock I'd made previosuly and frozen to make gravy. Game likes fruit and sweetness but I don't like fruit with meat so I went for a red wine reduction in the gravy and it worked well.
Carve up and serve with potatoes roasted in duck fat, roast parsnips and lightly creamed spinach with a light grate of nutmeg and you have a hearty roast dinner:
Mind your teeth on the shot
Not usually there isn't? Indeed aside from the taste, one reason for cooking the pheasant wrapped in bacon is that the fat from the bacon helps to effectively baste the bird, and stops it drying out.
