For an elegant alternative to Turkey, roast a brace of pheasants for your Christmas lunch. Cooked with festive spices, oranges and cherries, the meat has a rich flavour that’s similar to chicken, but with a more succulent texture and subtle gamey undertone. It’s one of the finest game birds to enjoy on such a special occasion. As for the wine to serve, choose a rich, soft and fruity wine such as a Pinot Noir.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cooking Time: 40-55 Minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 brace of pheasants (1 hen 500g-600g and 1 cock 800g-900g)
- Sea salt and black pepper
- 75g butter
- Salt and pepper
- 1 orange, cut into quarters
- Small bunch of mixed herbs e.g. thyme, bay leaves, sage
- 4 strips of orange peel
- 4 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise
- 25g fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 100g of frozen pitted cherries or dried sour cherries
- Juice of 1 orange
- 125ml chicken stock (or 125ml red wine)
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.
- Pat the pheasants dry with kitchen paper.
- Place the orange quarters and herbs in the cavities of each pheasant and smear generously with butter. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Place the pheasants in a roasting tin and add the strips of orange peel, spices, cherries and orange juice.
- Cover with foil and roast for 40 minutes, basting every 15 minutes.
- Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes until the pheasants are a rich deep golden colour.
- Remove the pheasants from the roasting tin to a warmed plate, cover and rest for 10 minutes. The temperature of the meat should reach 70°C when probed with a meat thermometer.
- Using a spoon, lift the whole spices from the tin and discard.
- Scrape the bottom of the tin to loosen the cherries and any sticky residue then pour the juices into a small sauce pot, add the chicken stock or wine and bring to the boil until reduced.
- Carve the pheasants and serve with the jus.
