Pheasant stew with shiitake mushrooms and wild rice
4 Servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pheasant, 2-1/2 to 3 lbs | |
| 2 | tablespoons | Olive oil |
| Fresh ground black pepper | ||
| ¼ | pounds | Bacon, smoked, 1/4-inch dice |
| 3 | mediums | Leeks, thinly sliced |
| 1 | large | Carrot, finely diced |
| 1 | Rib celery, finely diced | |
| 8 | cups | Low-sodium chicken broth |
| 14 | ounces | Italian peeled tomatoes |
| 1 | cup | Hearty red wine |
| 2 | Bay leaves | |
| 2 | teaspoons | Fresh rosemary, minced |
| 1 | teaspoon | Fennel seed |
| ½ | cup | Wild rice, rinsed thoroughly |
| 1 | tablespoon | Unsalted butter |
| ¼ | pounds | Shiitake mushrooms; or other wild mushrooms |
| 1½ | teaspoon | Balsamic vinegar |
| Salt | ||
| Fresh basil or parsley; chopped | ||
Directions
GARNISH
1. Separate the legs and thighs from the pheasant. Remove the breast meat from the bone, keeping the breast intact. Remove and discard the skin. Inspect meat for any remaining shot.
2. Brown the legs and thighs in olive oil. Remove from pan. Add bacon and cook until crispy.
3. Add leeks, carrots and celery. Cook until vegetables begin to soften.
Add chicken broth, tomatoes, red wine, bay leaves, rosemary, fennel seed and wild rice.
4. Return the legs and thighs to the pot and simmer 1 hour or until rice is cooked.
5. In a separate pan saute mushrooms. Add vinegar and season with salt and pepper and add to the pheasant stew.
6. Season the pheasant breasts and cook in a hot saute pan 3-4 minutes per side until medium rare. Let rest a couple of minutes then slice on the diagonal.
7. To serve, ladle stew into bowls and garnish with sliced pheasant and chopped basil.
Recipe by Karen L. Williams, Bay Harbor Yacht Club, Petowsky, MI.
NOTE: Can use any game for this, venison, quail, duck, etc, etc. If meat without bones (such as venison) is used, reduce amount to about 2 pounds.