Cream Of Sherry Pheasant Or Partridge Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
• Season the cavities and the outside of each pheasant liberally with salt and pepper. Divide the chopped onion and carrot equally among the cavities of the pheasants. Squeeze the juice from both halves of the orange and set aside. Cut 1 of the squeezed halves into 3 pieces, and tuck inside of the cavities along with the veggies. Insert 1sprig of thyme into the cavity of each pheasant.
• Arrange the pheasants in a large roasting pan, breast sides up. Lay 2 strips of bacon over the top of each pheasant, cutting the bacon into pieces if necessary to cover as much of the pheasant as possible. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove the bacon strips and continue roasting for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear. (It is important to not overcook the pheasants, as they are very lean birds.) Remove the pheasants from the oven and transfer to a serving platter, loosely tented, while you make the sauce.
• Using a spoon, carefully remove as much extra fat from the pan as possible. Place the roasting pan over high heat and, when hot, deglaze with the reserved orange juice and Madeira, using a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the orange juice and Madeira have reduced by half, add the chicken stock and continue to cook until sauce has reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 to 4 minutes. Swirl in the butter and remove from the heat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Remove the back bone from each pheasant, then cut along the breast bone to divide the birds into two halves. Serve 1/2 pheasant per person, napped with some of the sauce and with some of the Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding.
• Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown and tender, 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Essence, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 3/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender and have given off their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the beer and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan and until the mixture is almost dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cream, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of Essence, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and whisk well to combine. Add the mushroom mixture and cheeses and stir well. Add the bread cubes and let sit until the bread has absorbed the liquid, 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with the butter. Add the bread crumbs, shaking to cover the bottom evenly. Pour the bread pudding mixture into the prepared pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour and uncover. Continue baking until risen and firm in the center, and golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Dust the pheasants with the flour, then heat the oil in a large flameproof dish. Brown the pheasants all over, then remove from the dish.
• In the same dish, fry the bacon, vegetables, garlic and herbs with 1 tbsp of the dusting flour for 5 mins, until the vegetables start to colour. Put the pheasants and any resting juices back in the dish, pour on the Marsala, wine and stock, add the sugar, then cover and cook for 1 hr 30 mins - 1 hr 50 mins or until the leg meat easily comes away from the bone. Serve with bread sauce.

Steps:

• 1. Quarter pheasant using a heavy knife: cut through back just ahead of the thighs. Split thighs along one side of the backbone. Carefully cut back from the wings and breast and discard. Find the keelbone at the center of the breast. Place knife flush along one side of the keelbone and spit breast lengthwise. For partridge, follow same procedure, but use two birds and leave breasts whole.
• 2. Dredge poultry pieces in dry mix, then the wet bath, then dry mix again. Place breaded pieces on a large plate.
• 3. Heat 3 tbsp butter in a large skillet (preferably cast iron), over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add poultry pieces. Cook bone side up for 5 minutes, covering pan with a tight lid (glass is best). Avoid searing breading. Add mushrooms and onion, rotate poultry with tongs, and continue to brown the bone side for 5 min, covered. Add sherry, return lid.
• 4. Reduce heat to simmer for 25-30 minutes, covered. Deeply prick a thick piece of meat to test doneness. If juice runs clear, it is done. During this time, add chicken broth sparingly if neccessary to keep bottom of pan from drying out. By the end of the 25 minutes, liquid should be almost completely dissipated.
• 5. While poultry is simmering, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with pine nuts and a pat of butter.
• 6. Remove cover, stirring cream gently into pan. Allow to re-heat slowly, removing from heat when cream is hot. Serve over pasta.
• 7. Remember, watch out for shot in your meat!

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese, sour cream, and milk together in a bowl. Stir pudding mix into the cream cheese mixture. Fold about half the cherry pie filling into the cream cheese mixture; spread into the prepared pie crust and top with remaining pie filling.
• Refrigerate until set and chilled completely, about 2 hours.

Steps:

• Sprinkle the partridges, inside and out with half the salt and peper.
• In a large saucepan, melt all but 1 Tbsp butter over moderate heat.
• When the foam subsides, add the partridge halves and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are lightly and evenly browned.
• Cover the pan and cook for a further 12 to 15 minutes on each side, or until the partridges are tender when pierced with the point of a knife.
• Using tongs, or two large spoons, transfer the partridge halves to a warmed serving dish.
• Keep warm while you make the sauce.
• TO MAKE THE SAUCE: Pour off all but 1 Tbsp of fat from the pan.
• Add the onion and fry, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it is soft and translucent, but not brown.
• Pour in the chicken stock and vermouth and add the remaining salt and pepper.
• Increase the heat to high and boil for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about one-third.
• Reduce the heat to moderate and add the orange juice, cream and chives.
• Gradually stir in BEURRE MANIE*, a small piece at a time.
• (*BEURREMANIE is kneaded butter. Kneaded butter is used to thicken stews and sauces.) Mix together equal amounts of softened butter, from the reserved 1 Tbsp and flour (soften the butter with a fork, to incorporate the flour).
• Add in small knobs to the boiling liquid.
• Whisk constantly until the butter melts and sauce is thickened.
• Continue cooking stirring constantly, for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the sauce is smooth and thick and hot- but not boiling.
• Remove the pan from the heat and pour the sauce over the partridges.
• Garnish with the orange slices and serve immediately.