Just the thing on a cold, dreich Autumn or winter evening.
Pheasant casserole
1 pheasant or 1 kilo pieces
50g seedless raisins
15g flour
450mls water
150ml cider (the alcoholic type) or white wine
65g butter
2 sticks of celery
1 carrot
1 onion
2 cooking apples and 1 dessert apple
300mls of stock (if possible, made from giblets of bird)
pinch of mixed spice
150ml yoghurt or cream
salt and pepper, to taste
Soak the raisins in the cider/wine for 2 hours. Peel/core the apple and slice. Chop the onion and celery finely. If using the whole bird, truss, dust with flour and the salt, pepper and spice.
Melt the butter, add the pheasant and slowly cook to brown the bird, then drain and set aside. Gently fry the onion or a few minutes, then add the celery and cooking apples and fry for a further 5 minutes.
Stir in the remaining flour and cook for a minute or so Add the raisins, stock and cider and bring to the boil. Turn down heat, put lid on casserole/saucepan and simmer gently for one and a half hours or until the bird cooked.
Lift the bird/pieces out and set aside.
If the sauce in the pan is a little thin, leave the lid off and boil to reduce to a thicker consistency. Add the yoghurt or cream and gently reheat (do not allow to boil).
Meantime, peel and core the dessert apple and slice into fine rings. Gently fry in butter and use to garnish the bird.
Serve with boiled potatoes and seasonal green vegetables.
Pheasant casserole
1 pheasant or 1 kilo pieces
50g seedless raisins
15g flour
450mls water
150ml cider (the alcoholic type) or white wine
65g butter
2 sticks of celery
1 carrot
1 onion
2 cooking apples and 1 dessert apple
300mls of stock (if possible, made from giblets of bird)
pinch of mixed spice
150ml yoghurt or cream
salt and pepper, to taste
Soak the raisins in the cider/wine for 2 hours. Peel/core the apple and slice. Chop the onion and celery finely. If using the whole bird, truss, dust with flour and the salt, pepper and spice.
Melt the butter, add the pheasant and slowly cook to brown the bird, then drain and set aside. Gently fry the onion or a few minutes, then add the celery and cooking apples and fry for a further 5 minutes.
Stir in the remaining flour and cook for a minute or so Add the raisins, stock and cider and bring to the boil. Turn down heat, put lid on casserole/saucepan and simmer gently for one and a half hours or until the bird cooked.
Lift the bird/pieces out and set aside.
If the sauce in the pan is a little thin, leave the lid off and boil to reduce to a thicker consistency. Add the yoghurt or cream and gently reheat (do not allow to boil).
Meantime, peel and core the dessert apple and slice into fine rings. Gently fry in butter and use to garnish the bird.
Serve with boiled potatoes and seasonal green vegetables.
