Braised Pheasant With Red Cabbage Wild Rice Food

BRAISED PHEASANT WITH RED CABBAGE WILD RICE

Steps:

• Make wild rice:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a fine sieve rinse wild rice well and drain. In a small saucepan bring broth to a simmer. In a small flameproof casserole Sauté rice in oil over moderately high heat, stirring, 1 minute and stir in hot broth and salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a boil and bake, covered, in middle of oven 1 hour, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
• While rice is cooking, in a 10-inch skillet cook bacon over moderate heat until crisp and transfer to paper towels to drain. Transfer all but 1 tablespoon drippings to a small bowl and reserve for cooking pheasant.
• Heat drippings remaining in skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté onion and cabbage, stirring, until softened. Add vinegar and salt and pepper to taste and sauté, stirring, 1 minute. Chop bacon. Just before serving, stir cabbage mixture and bacon into wild rice.
• Make pheasant while rice is cooking:
• Rinse pheasant under cold water and pat dry inside and out. Cut pheasant into 6 serving pieces, transferring feet, back, neck, and wing tips to a small saucepan. To saucepan add water and bay leaf and simmer, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes, or until reduced to about 3/4 cup. Strain stock through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl.
• In a small bowl stir together salt, pepper, and allspice. Pat pheasant dry again and sprinkle evenly with allspice mixture. In a 10-inch heavy ovenproof skillet heat oil with 1 tablespoon reserved drippings over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté pheasant until golden, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer pheasant to a plate.
• In fat remaining in skillet cook raisins and shallots over moderate heat, stirring, until shallots are softened. Stir in gin and boil until most is evaporated. Stir in wine and boil until reduced by about half. Stir in stock, tomato paste, rosemary sprig, and salt and pepper to taste and bring sauce to a boil.
• Add pheasant to sauce, skin sides down, and braise, tightly covered, in middle of 350°F. oven until breast meat is cooked through and tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer breasts to a clean plate and keep warm, covered. Braise legs and thighs until cooked through and tender, about 10 minutes more. Transfer legs and thighs to plate and keep warm, covered. Stir minced rosemary and grapes into sauce and boil until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
• Divide pheasant between 2 dinner plates, spooning sauce over it, and serve with red cabbage wild rice.

BOURBON ROASTED PHEASANT WITH BRAISED CABBAGE

Steps:

• In a large, deep casserole, heat the butter and 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the chopped onions and saute until they are lightly colored, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook until it begins to color, about 10 minutes. Cover, leaving the lid askew, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is medium-brown. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and add the juniper berries. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the pheasant under cold water and dry well. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Brush the inside of the bird with the mustard. Stud the whole onion with the cloves and place it inside the cavity. Tie the legs together and turn the wing tips under. Lightly dredge the bird in flour.
• In a heavy skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the pheasant and brown lightly on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the pheasant, breast side up, to the casserole dish with the cabbage mixture. Pack the cabbage mixture around and over the bird. Cover the casserole and place in the middle of the oven. Cook for 35 to 45 minutes, basting several times with the pan juices, until the leg moves easily in its socket and the juices run clear. Brush the cabbage off the top of the pheasant and bake uncovered for 10 minutes longer.
• Remove the dish from the oven. Transfer the bird to a warm platter, untie the legs and discard the whole onion. Drain any cooking juices back into the casserole dish. Place it on the stove over high heat and carefully pour in the bourbon. Heat the liquid and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium, stir in the cream and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Cut up the pheasant and serve it on a bed of the cabbage mixture. Top with chopped parsley, if desired.