2012 Ingredient of the Week 10: Game Birds

The Hill Billy

This week we are looking for your recipes for Game birds - pheasant, grouse, quail, pigeon, etc...

Mellor

Good timing. Open season for most of those birds started this week
Unfortunately I can't get my hands on them here.

sdp

Pheasant breasts with savoy cabbage and game chips

4 pheasant breasts
butter or bacon fat
1tsp slightly crushed juniper berries
sprigs of thyme

savoy cabbage
salt/pepper/ paprika to taste
225ml cream

game chips
450g large potatoes
beef dripping or oil for deep fat frying
sea salt
I use a mandolin ( can't get them thin enough with my knife skills )

wash and peel potatoes, slice them very finely, rinse in cold water couple of times to remove starch, then soak in cold water till ready to fry
heat oil to 180c

pheasant
heat fat over medium heat in large pan
brown pheasant on all sides
add juniper berries and a sprig of thyme
cover pan and lower heat, leave to cook for 15 mins on both sides
remove breasts to warm plate

meanwhile slice cabbage thinly and add to pan
season with salt, pepper, paprika, and add cream
add the pheasant back to pan on top of cabbage
cover and cook for a further 5-8 mins or until cooked to your liking

dry potatoes well
drop into fryer few at a time, ( they only take seconds so don't go away )
drain on kitchen paper or egg cartons sprinkle with sea salt,

if there is any game chips left over they will keep for a couple of days in airtight box, just reheat in low oven before eating

serve and enjoy

_blank_

"Game Birds"?

I can think of a few....:pac:

The Hill Billy

Joint two pheasants (your butcher can do this for you)
Dredge in seasoned flour & brown in some olive oil & butter in a pan
In a large pot sweat chopped leeks, carrots & celery for 5-6 minutes
Add the pheasant pieces to the pot with some thyme & a couple of bay leaves
Core & quarter 2 or 3 apples & place these around the pheasant joints
Then add 300ml of dry cider & 300ml of chicken stock (or enough to almost cover)
Simmer gently for 1 hour
Just before serving add 100ml of cream & stir through for a bit of added richness

The Hill Billy

This is good as a starter or a snack...
You'll need 1 Pigeon breast per person & a handful of sliced mushrooms (try & get some good tasty ones from a good deli or greengrocer, but button mushrooms will do).

Add a splash of olive oil & a knob of butter to a pan on a medium to high heat.
Fry the pigeon breasts for 4 mins on one side & then 2-3 on the other (for medium to well done).
Remove from the pan & keep warm.
Turn the heat up to high, add a bit more oil/butter if required & fry the mushrooms.
When done, slice the pigeon breasts & serve with the mushrooms on a bed of rocket.
Deglaze the pan with a glug of port & a good splash of Worcestershire sauce.
Drizzle this over the lot & add a sprinkle of sea salt.

dev110

Here is a link to the Game Recipes thread in the Hunting forum:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055303455
You might find something useful in there.

If you are ever looking for some game try making friends with some of us

Pheasant are scarce this year due to the bad summer but any of us would be able to give you snipe, wood pigeon and maybe some woodcock.

Some nice recipes here that I will be trying in the near future