Thank god Bake Off is over and we can put the flour away, shake off the sugar slump and start spending time cooking delicious, wholesome meals again. When it comes to cooking, Mary Berry likes to dabble in both the sweet and the savoury, and here’s one of the finest examples from her new book, Family Sunday Lunches. With the rellies coming a-knocking all over the Christmas period, this is something that’s easy to knock up and will feed a whole host of hungry mouths. It’s excellent, too, for using up older birds – all that casseroling will make them good and tender again.
PHEASANT CASSEROLE WITH THYME AND PRUNES (SERVES 6)
INGREDIENTS
2 whole pheasants 250g smoked bacon lardons 2 medium onions, sliced 2 sticks celery, sliced 2 medium carrots, sliced 200ml red wine 6 large pitted prunes, chopped 25g plain flour 200ml cold game or chicken stock 6 sprigs of thyme, plus extra to garnish 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly METHOD
– Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ gas mark 4. – Place a large flameproof casserole over a high heat and brown the pheasants on all sides until golden. Remove from the pan and set aside. – Add the bacon to the pan and fry over a high heat until crisp. Add the vegetables and fry for a few more minutes. Add the red wine and prunes and boil for a couple of minutes. – Measure the flour into a bowl and mix with the cold stock until smooth, and then pour into the pan. Bring the sauce
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to the boil, stirring, until thickened. – Add the thyme sprigs and redcurrant jelly and season with salt and pepper. Return the pheasants to the pan, cover and transfer to the preheated oven for about 1 hour. – Remove the pan from the oven and check to see if the breasts are cooked. If so, carve them from the carcasses and then return the carcasses to the pan. Continue to cook the legs for a further 30 minutes, or until tender. – Carve the legs from the carcasses and return them and the breasts to the pan. Heat through for a few minutes until the breasts are piping hot and then serve garnished with some thyme. THERE’S MORE FROM MARY…
– The casserole can be made up to a day ahead. Reheat the sauce with the breasts and legs in a moderate oven and serve hot. Not suitable for freezing. – To cook in the AGA, bring to the boil, cover and transfer to the simmering oven for 2 hours.
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✱ This recipe was taken from Family Sunday Lunches by Mary Berry, published by Headline, £25