Wild Pheasant In Mushrooms and Wine Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 Whole skinless legs and skinless breast of Pheasant., 2 of each-legs and breast.
- 4 Tablespoons butter-divided
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive Oil
- 3/4 Cup whole pearl onions, Or 1/2 diced yellow onions
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 or 6 whole Shiitake mushrooms , roughly cut
- 1 pint Crimini mushrooms (Or white), Sliced
- 1/2 oz. about 1/2 Cup volume wt. Dried Lobster Homard mushrooms or 5 fresh Chantrell, chopped or sliced
- 1 oz. about 1/2 Cup dried Porcini Mushrooms, chopped
- 1 Cup White wine (I used Sauvignon blanc)
- 1 Cup chicken broth
- 1/3 Cup fresh curly leaf parsley , finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons Water
- 1 tsp. salt , as needed to rub the meat
- 1 tsp. pepper, as needed to rub the meat
Directions
- Prepare the Pheasant:
- Cut the bird from neck to bottom or it’s ribs(AVOID cutting into the bowel or stomach). Pull the skin apart.
- Cut off the breasts (breast out the bird).
- Cut off the skin around the leg from hip joint. Remove the legs at the hip joint. Remove remaining feathers from breasts and legs. Rinse and pat dry.
- Preheat a dutch oven (OR cast iron combo skillet or other heavy bottom skillet) on your stove to medium heat.
- Salt and pepper all sides of the meat.
- Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Add 2 Tablespoons butter and stir until melted.
- Put in the pheasant legs first and sear two minutes on each sides.
- After one minute add the Pheasant breasts. WATCH them. It’s easy to overcook the breasts. Just sear until lightly brown but NOT cooked. (about 2 or three minutes) Scrape pan and stir in the bits.
- Remove the pheasant from pan and set aside.
- Add the remaining butter. When butter is melted add in the mushrooms. Stir occasionally and cook 5 minutes, covered, until partially cooked.
- Add onions and garlic. Stir together with partially cooked mushrooms.
- Turn the heat to high and Add the wine. Reduce the wine by half.
- Reduce heat to medium high.
- Add chicken broth, breasts and legs and cover them.
- Reduce heat to simmer. Cook 20 minutes until pheasant is done. (Check a leg)
- Add the cornstarch mixture and cook until the sauce thickens.
- Add fresh parsley until wilted.
- Serve from the pot.