Pheasant with mushrooms, baby onions and tarragon

Hunter chicken was definitely not a thing growing up, but chasseur chicken was.

I can’t remember the recipe from home and would not dare suggest it came from a pre made mix as never did to my knowledge.

This is not hunter chicken or chasseur chicken, but recipe fans, you will not be disappointed, read on!

It gives me enormous pleasure to bring share this recipe from Gary Maclean. 

Credit and permission to share: Gary Maclean. 

You will need

Pheasant is an iconic and beautiful bird, it was introduced to the UK as early as the 11 th century by the Normans, they are originally from Asia but can now be found all over the world. Pheasant it is found on menus all over Scotland. I spent a number of years working for the largest feathered game producer in Scotland.

They have been instrumental in getting the birds from shooting estates all over Scotland and Northern England onto the plates of hungry customers. This made birds like Pheasant a reliable and plentiful product. It can only be shot between 1 st of October and the 1 st of February. This recipe I have taken inspiration from a dish called Chasseur or Hunters chicken. It is a one-pot wonder and helps the pheasant cook without drying out.

Ingredients:

1 Pheasant, oven ready

25g 1oz Unsalted butter

200g 7oz Button mushrooms trimmed and wiped

200ml 7floz Beef stock

Sm bunch Tarragon leaves

100g 3 ½ oz Cherry tomatoes

100g 3 ½ oz Baby onions

100g 3 ½ oz Streaky bacon

150ml 5 floz White wine

1 400g can 14oz Chopped tomatoes

50g 2oz Plan Flour

½ lemon Juice

25g 1oz Good oil

Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. Pre heat oven to 160°C//325˚F.

2. Cut chicken into 4 pieces splitting legs into thigh and drumstick and cutting

breast in 2.

3. Heat a sauté pan with the oil then add butter once foaming add the seasoned pheasant pieces, adding the thigh and drum sticks first.

4. Sauté over a reasonably high heat, turning and allowing pieces to become golden in colour. Add the baby onions and the bacon allow to colour.

5. Remove pheasant from pan and place to one side, pour off any excess fat.

6. Place pan back on hob add the mushrooms and cook until you have achieved

some colour.

7. Next dust in the flour making sure you stir it in until there are no lumps.

8. Now add the white wine and bring to the boil.

9. Reduce by ¾ then add stock and reduce by ½.

10. Next add the tinned tomato, cherry tomatoes halves and the tarragon.

11. Pop the lid back on and place into the oven for 1 hour. If you don’t have a pan that works for the oven you could pour the mix into a large casserole dish and cover with foil.

12. Remove from the oven once the timer goes.

13. Season with salt and pepper and finish sauce with a squeeze of lemon juice to enrich flavour.