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Pheasant In Red Wine
(Fasan in Rotwein)
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| What You Need: |
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1 cup dry red wine
˝ cup cold water or ˝ cup chicken stock, fresh or canned
˝ small bay leaf
2 slices lean bacon
1 cup thinly sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon flour
1/3 cup heavy cream
3˝- to 4-pound oven-ready pheasant
6 tablespoons butter, softened
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
˝ cup finely chopped onions
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Wash the pheasant quickly under cold running water and pat it thoroughly dry inside and out with paper towels. Then rub the cavity of the bird with 1 tablespoon of the soft butter and sprinkle it liberally with salt and a few grindings of pepper. Truss the bird securely with white kitchen cord.
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2. In a heavy 5-quart casserole or Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat, add the pheasant and brown it well on all sides, turning it frequently and regulating the heat so that the bird browns quickly without burning. Transfer the pheasant to a plate.
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3. Add the chopped onions to the casserole and cook over moderate heat for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and light brown. Then pour in the wine and bring it to a boil, meanwhile scraping into it any brown bits clinging to the bottom and sides of the casserole. Stir in the water or stock, bay leaf, ˝ teaspoon of salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
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4. Return the pheasant and any juices that have accumulated around it to the casserole and drape 2 slices of bacon across the breast. Cover the casserole, reduce the heat to its lowest point and simmer the pheasant for about 45 minutes, or until it is tender. (A mature pheasant may take from 15 to 30 minutes longer.) In either case test for doneness by piercing the thigh with the tip of a small, sharp knife.
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5. The juice should spurt out a clear yellow. If tinged with pink, simmer for a few minutes longer. Remove the bird to a warm platter and let it rest, loosely covered with foil, while you make the sauce. Discard the bay leaf.
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6. In a 10-inch skillet melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over high heat. When the foam subsides, add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or so. With a rubber spatula, transfer the entire contents of the skillet to the casserole. Then stir in the heavy cream and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste for seasoning. Carve the pheasant into attractive serving pieces, pour the sauce over them and serve at once.
NOTE: In Germany, the pheasant is browned in butter as described above. Because butter alone burns easily, you may prefer to use 2 tablespoons of butter combined with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil.
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