Calvados pheasant casserole 20 Oct 2013 As the season for apples and pheasants arrives at about the same time, they can be cooked together

As the season for apples and pheasants arrives at about the same time, it seems obvious that they could be cooked together to great effect. Look in our family butcher’s window and you will find it is full of pheasants and other game birds at the moment. They are going out of their way to ensure that no one in Eynsham will be short of game this year.

Calvados makes a positive flavour contribution to this recipe, which is easy to cook and delicious to eat. It is a classic autumn dish which can be made several ways - this is the one I like best.

To serve 2 people you will need:

• 1 pheasant
• Generous dash sunflower oil
• 1oz (25g) butter
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
• 1 Bramley apple - cored and chopped quite fine with skin on.
• 1 eating apple cored and sliced into wedges for garnish
• Handful parsley - chopped fine
• 150 ml (¼ pt) game or chicken stock
• 2 tsp calvados
• 150ml ( ¼ pt) double cream
• Salt and freshly ground black peppercorn to season.

Method:

• Heat the oil and butter in casserole dish and gently brown pheasant on both sides.
• Remove the bird, and cook the onion and chopped garlic until soft. Drain the oil and butter from the pan and reserve to cook the apple wedges for the garnish later.
• Place the pheasant back into the casserole and pour the Calvados over it, having set the liquid alight in a spoon.
• When the flames have died down add the chopped apple to the pan, also the stock and chopped parsley. Season, fix the lid on firmly and simmer over a moderate heat for about 45 minutes or until cooked.
• Remove pheasant from dish, liquidize remaining contents and strain, pour into clean pot and reheat.
• Stir the cream into the strained sauce.
• Gently fry the apple wedges in the reserved butter and oil until soft and turning brown.
• Assemble pheasant on large dish into which the sauce has been poured, garnish with apple wedges and present to the table and serve, carving as you would a chicken.
• You can cut the pheasant into two before placing it onto the sauce if you prefer.