Roast Pheasant with Quince

ROAST PHEASANT WITH QUINCE

Winter months spell ‘game’ and winter greens.  One of our favourites is roast pheasant with quince on a bed of whichever winter greens look best on the day. The very original recipe for this dish is from the River Café Cook Book but over time we have adapted it to our own taste.

Pheasant from The Dorset Game Company; Bacon from Newton Farm Shop; Broccoli and sprouts from the vegetable stall on Kingsmead Square, Bath.

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6)
The Pheasant
  • 3 pheasant (approx. 800g-1.1kg)
  • 6 tbsp quince jelly (or quince cheese)
  • 6 large sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 9 slices bacon
  • seasoning (salt and pepper)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ bottle of red wine  (try a Chianti or a Merlot)
The Greens
  • Selection of greens eg broccoli, sprouts, calabrese, kale, sprouts, chard, calovo nero, savoy cabbage
  • Seasoning (salt and pepper)
  • 1-2 cloves garlic peeled and finely sliced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
METHOD
  • Preheat the oven to 220oC; 425 oF; Gas Mark 7
  • Place 2 tbsp quince jelly, 2 sprigs of thyme and 1 slice of bacon inside the cavity of each pheasant
  • Cover each pheasant breast with a slice of bacon and tie on with string
  • Season to taste
  • Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof dish that is big enough for all 3 birds and quickly brown on all sides
  • Place the birds in the dish, breast side up. Pour in half the red wine and bring to a boil.  Allow to reduce slightly
  • Roast in the oven for 25-35 minutes
  • Remove from the oven, take out the pheasant and keep warm. Add the rest of the wine into the roasting juices, turn up the heat and boil hard to reduce
  • In the meantime, lightly steam the greens for 1-2 minutes (if mixing broccoli and sprouts with the leaves, steam them for 2-3 minutes before adding the leaves as they are thicker and will need a little longer to cook)
  • Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the steamed greens.  Season well. Cook together for 3-4 minutes
  • To serve, cut the legs off the pheasant.  Cut the breast off the bone (but keep whole).  Place the meat on a warmed plate covered with the greens and pour over the roasting juices/gravy
  • Garnish with a little extra thyme

 

We love to soak up the final juices from our plates with a sourdough Baguette from Today Bread, Walthamstow. OK, so not very good manners, but the juices are too good to waste!

If you would like to see us making this recipe, we have a reel up on the nearHome Instagram. Please do let me know if you try Roast Pheasant with Quince and what you thought (I’d love to see pictures, tag us on Instagram @shopnearhome)

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