Pheasant Casserole By the Glenlyon Gourmet

I love healthy, honest & traceable food. A freshly shot pheasant from the Estate where we live doesn't get any more honest & traceable! It's seasonal NOW! Let me know how you do?

1. 1

   1. Put the flour on a plate and grind some salt and pepper over it. Dust the pheasant pieces lightly with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess (the flour will help thicken the sauce as the casserole cooks).
   
   2. Cut the bacon rashers into 5 or 6 pieces each. Peel the onion and carrots and chop them into fairly chunky pieces. Wash and chop the celery into 3 or 4 pieces per stick.
   
   3. Preheat the oven to 120 C, 250 F, gas ½. Heat some oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and fry gently until lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a casserole dish.
   
   4. Gently fry the vegetables in the same oil in the frying pan. After about 5 minutes, when they are just lightly coloured (golden, not brown) and softened a little bit, add them to the bacon in the casserole dish. By gently browning the bacon and vegetables, you'll be creating some delicious flavours that will all contribute to the sauce.
   
   5. Put the pheasant pieces in the pan (you might want to add another tablespoon of oil to the pan first if it's looking a bit dry). Fry at a good sizzle for 6 or 7 minutes, turning them several times, until the pieces are nicely browned on the outside.
   
   6. Transfer the pheasant pieces to the casserole but keep the frying pan on the heat. There will be some tasty morsels sticking to the bottom of the pan and it would be a crime not to get them into your casserole! The best way to do this is to pour about half the cider into the pan. As it begins to bubble, rub a wooden spatula over the surface of the pan to loosen the tasty bits. This is called "deglazing".
   
   7. Add the rest of the cider to the pan, along with the redcurrant jelly, mustard, cream, rosemary and thyme. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Pour this mixture into the casserole and top up with enough stock or water to just cover the pheasant.
   
   8. Put the casserole on the hob and bring the liquid to a very gentle simmer, so that a few bubbles are just popping on the top rather than bubbling furiously. Wearing oven gloves, put the lid on the casserole, transfer it to the preheated oven and leave for about 1¼ hours to complete cooking. Then check that the pheasant meat is nice and tender (pierce using a sharp knife) - it might need another 15 minutes in the oven. Serve with plain boiled potatoes or mash and lightly cooked greens, such as kale or cabbage. .