Pheasant with braised potato and fennel

Yield: 4 servings

Measure Ingredient
2 \N Young pheasants; with livers
1 \N Whole bulb garlic and 14 garlic cloves -2
\N \N ; finely chopped- the rest left whole
2 \N Stems rosemary
\N \N Knob of butter
\N \N Mixed peppercorns
\N \N Sea salt
2 \N Glasses white wine
675 grams Prepared potatoes; diced (1 1/2lb)
2 \N Onions; peeled and chopped
2 \N Fennel bulbs; 1 cut into 4 and
\N \N ; the other chopped
2 \N Rashers steaky bacon; chopped into small
\N \N ; pieces
\N \N Good glug of olive oil
600 millilitres Chicken or pheasant stock; (20fl oz)
1 \N Lemon; juice of
1 \N Handful black olives; stoned

Wash and dry the pheasants. Cut the bulb of garlic in half horizontally.

Put the cut bulb of garlic with a sprig of rosemary and a knob of butter insde the cavity of each bird. Season with freshly groung peppercorns and sea salt.

Put birds in roasing tin, breast sides down, sitting on half the chopped onnion and rosemary (save ½ a stem for the braised potato) and pour over a glass of wine and a splash of stock. Roast birds in pre heated oven for about 30 to 40 minutes, turning birds halfway through and basting with the pan juices, if they appear to be drying out then add a splash of stock.

Put the whole garlic cloves and quarters of fennel in the roasting tin to roast until softened and golden. Keep turning and basting and watch that the garlic doesn't burn and the pheasant breasts remain slightly pink.

Whilst the pheasant is cooking prepare the braised potato and fennel. In a large wide based pan, heat the olive oil and fry the bacon. Add the potato, diced fennel, chopped garlic and liver (cut in half) and cook until golden.

Add rosemary leaves, just over ½ the stock and seasoning. Bring to the boil and then turn into an oven proof dish and bake in the oven with the pheasant until softened but golden on top. 5 minutes before finising, add olives and squeeze over the lemon juice to liven up the flavours. Stir gently into dish.

When birds are roasted, joint them for serving and rest in a warm place whilst you make the gravy. If the thighs need a bit longer in the oven, pop them back in for a few more minutes.

Pour excess fat from roasting tin but save all the juices. De-glaze with the second glass of wine scrapping up all the meaty juices into the liquid.

Add 150ml (5fl oz) stock and reduce well. Beat in a little butter to finish the sauce.

Serve some of the braised potato with the roasted fennel and garlic and topped with the pheasant, sauce and serve.

Converted by MC_Buster.

Per serving: 61 Calories (kcal); trace Total Fat; (5% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 73mg Sodium Food Exchanges: ½ Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

Converted by MM_Buster v2.0n.

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