Remove bird from foil (save drippings), set bacon aside, discard celery and put bird in broiler pan.
Combine drippings, wine and lemon juice in small sauceoan and reduce slightly (if rich sauce desired add 1 cup sour cream and heat). Place bird under broiler for 5 min. or until brown. Meanwhile add mushrooms until slightly thickened. Place sauce on toast, then bird. Garnish with bacon and parsley.
Mix sour cream with remainder of skillet mixture and heat until blended. Stir often. After birds have baked for 45 min., top with sour cream mixture and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Return birds to oven for 15 min., uncovered. Serve with wild or brown rice. Serves 4.
Cut foil large enough to cover each breast. Put breast on one half of foil, top each with 2 or 3 mushroom caps, divide the sauce on top of breasts and fold the top half over and seal. Cook at 400F for 35 minutes.
Helpful Hints
Experience has taught master chefs, home kitchen connoisseurs and fire-side cooks many pointers to take the full advantage of the unique flavour of pheasant and partridge. These birds are often interchangable in recipes. Plan your meal so that the delicate flavour of the birds is not overpowered by the strong flavour of sauces.
PHAST PHEASANT (and partridge)
Yes, they too have succumbed to the modern technology of the microwave. Can be cooked ungarnished, or sprinkled liberally with sauces (such as soy), marinades, wines, or draped with bacon. Allow about 10 minutes per pound, and turn once halfway through cooking.
Pheasant or Partridge in Wine
Season birds with salt and pepper. Roll in flour, then brown in melted butter. Add mushrooms, wine, and seasonings. Cover and cook at 50F in oven about 2 hours for pheasant and 1 hour for partridge, or simmer over low heat for 30 min. or until tender.
Roast Pheasant or Partridge
Stuff bird if you wish (long grain and wild rice is nice). Place bacon strips over breast. Place bird on rack in roaster pan. Cover tightly. Roast 45 min. at 425F. Let stand 10 min. before carving. Serve with favourite sauce as desired.
Roast Pheasant or Partridge Alternative
Stuff cavity with celery leaves, add sale and pepper. Brush skin with melted butter. Roast breast side up in 450F oven for 30 min. basting every five minutes with wine and melted butter. Serve with favourite sauce as desired.
Glazes for Roast Game Birds
A glaze adds beauty as well as flavour to any roast game bird. Create a variety of glazes using any jam, jelly or preserve.
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until jelly is dissolved. Makes about 1/4 cup. Baste bird last 5-10 minutes.
Baked Pheasant or Partridge
Quarter pheasant or halve partridge. Bake in covered casserole at 350F for 1 or 2 hours (not in between) for pheasant, 1 hour for partridge. Brown under broiler when ready to serve.
Pheasant or Partridge in Foil
SAUCE
Sprinkle sage on celery stalk and place in cavity (be careful not to spill). Put 1/4 package onion soup mix (per bird) on foil large enough to cover bird. Place bird on top with slices of bacon over breast. Wrap tightly and cook in oven 375F for 35 minutes.
Game Bird Breasts in Sour Cream
Preheat oven to 375F. Combine butter, celery salt, salt, paprika, curry powder, pepper and oregano in a large skillet. Brown birds quickly in the sauce and place in baking dish. Add table cream and top with sliced mushrooms and/or almonds. Cover and bake 45 minutes.
Pheasant or Partridge in Puff Pastry
Roll pastry out on lightly floured board about 6 inches square. Pound pheasant to 1/4 inch thick. Put 1 tbsp. parsley, 1 tsp. green onion and salt and pepper on each cutlet. Place a stick (1/2"x2" approx.) cold butter on each cutlet and roll up as for jelly roll on one-half of pastry. Fold pastry over pheasant roll and pinch edges to seal. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 20-25 min. in 350F oven or until pastry is golden brown.
Game Bird Breast En Papilotte
Make sauce by cooking green onions in butter until wilted. Stir in flour, cook one minute, then add cream and wine, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook, stirring until thick; cool.
Pheasant in Marsala Wine
Coat pheasant with flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Heat together olive oil and 1/4 cup butter. Lightly brown pheasant. Pour off excess oil and return meat to pan, add Marsala wine and oregano. Cook over medium heat until almost dry (about 8 minutes), turn frequently to coat. Saute mushrooms in 1/4 cup butter, drain off liquid and add mushrooms to meat. Add consomme. Cook over low heat until almost dry (about 5 minutes). Beat egg yolk with cream. Remove pheasant from heat. Pour egg/cream mixture over meat, turn meat to glaze all sides. Serve.
Marie's Special
2 cut up pheasants roll in flour and brown in butter. Add salt and pepper and onion powder and put into a casserole. Slice up 1 medium size onion, add 11/2 cup water. Bake covered for 3/4 hr. and continue uncovered for 1/2 hr. or until tender. For a different flavor use 1 can golden mushroom soup.
Jean's Pheasant Breast Supreme
2 pheasant breasts boned and flattened between wax paper. On 1 half of breast put 1 square mozzeralla cheese, 1 slice cooked ham and little salt and pepper. Fold over and join edges, dip in flour then beaten egg and then bread crumbs. Fry in butter about 10-15 min. each side.
Jill's Pheasant Marengo
Brown cut up pheasant in oil. Add 1 bayleaf, 2 sprigs parsley, 1 clove garlic chopped, 2 tbsps. flour, 1/2 cup stock or water. 1/2 cup wine, 1 tbsp. tomato paste, 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms or 1 can and 1/2 tsp. thyme. Parsley to granish. Cover and cook 1 hr. or until tender.