Salmis of Pheasant with Walnuts and Mushrooms
A salmis of pheasant is a dish in French cuisine that consists of a roasted pheasant served in either its natural juices or in a sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 young oven-ready pheasants or guinea fowls
- 1 oz butter softened
- 5 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 8 oz onion chopped
- 6 oz carrots chopped
- 6 oz celery sticks diced
- 3 fresh bay leaves
- 1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
- 4 tbsp mushroom ketchup
- 15 floz red wine or wine and port mixed
- 1 pint fresh chicken or game stock
- 6 oz wild or flat black mushrooms sliced
- 4 oz walnut halves
- fresh thyme sprigs to garnish
for the kneaded butter
- 2 oz butter softened
- 1 1/2 oz plain flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 230°C/2I0°C fan oven/Gas Mark 8. Smear the pheasants all over with the softened butter. Lay them on their sides in a large roasting tin and roast for 15 minutes (guinea fowls for 20 minutes). Turn the birds over and roast for another 15 minutes (guinea fowls for 20 minutes). Remove from the oven - they should be quite rare.
- When cool enough to handle, remove the legs and cut the breast off the bone. Place the legs under a preheated grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes each side. Arrange the legs in the bottom of a 2.8 litre (5 pint) shallow ovenproof dish and place the breast meat on top. Cool completely, then cover and chill for 3 hours or overnight.
- Meanwhile, break up the carcasses and place in a large saucepan. Add the sherry vinegar to the roasting tin, scraping the bottom to dislodge any sediment, then add to the carcass stock pot with the next eight ingredients. Slowly bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the stock into a jug, discard the vegetables and herbs and return the stock to the pan. Bring to a fast boil and reduce to 750ml (1 1/4 pint). Season well.
- Make the kneaded butter by mixing the butter and flour to a smooth paste. Gradually whisk the kneaded butter into the stock, bring to the boil and bubble until syrupy. Add the mushrooms and walnuts to the sauce, then cool quickly, cover and chill until the game is ready to serve.
- To serve, reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/160°C fan oven/Gas Mark 4. Reheat the sauce, pour it over the game and cover. Place in the oven and cook for about 1 hour or until hot to the centre. Garnish with thyme sprigs.
Calories: 1126 kcal
Carbohydrates: 36 g
Protein: 87 g
Fat: 60g
Saturated Fat: 21 g
Trans Fat: 1 g
Cholesterol: 292 mg
Sodium: 668 mg
Potassium: 1747 mg
Fiber: 5 g
Sugar: 12 g
Vitamin A: 8522 IU
Vitamin C: 28 mg
Calcium: 124 mg
Iron: 6 mg