Tawny roasted pheasants

4 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
2Pheasants; about 2 1/2 lb ea
2Oranges; halved
¼cupOlive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
8Sprigs flat-leafed parsley
4Cloves garlic; peeled and bruised
2Bay leaves
12slicesBacon
½cupChicken broth; defatted
¼cupTawny Port
Autumn Pear Salsa (see recipe)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. Rinse the pheasants, cleaning the cavities well. Remove any excess fat. Pat dry.

3. Squeeze the oranges all over the birds and inside the cavities.

Brush with olive oil and sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Place 4 sprigs of parsley, 2 cloves of garlic and a bay leaf in each cavity.

4. Place the birds in a shallow roasting pan to fit. Arrange 6 slices of bacon over each pheasant. Add the chicken broth and the port to the pan.

5. Bake for 1½ hours (remove the bacon after an hour), basting two or three times. Then bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until the breasts are brown and the birds are cooked through. (The juices should run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is tested with the tip of a knife.) Let rest 10 minutes. Carbe and serve with Autumn Pear Salsa.

Serves 4, Per serving (without skin): 448 calories, 20g fat, 165mg cholesterol.

Source: Miami Herald Parade Magazine, 10/23/94 Typos by .\\\\ichele Submitted By MICHELE STEWART On 10-26-94