How to Cook Wild Pheasant & Parsnip Risotto

Name: How to Cook Wild Pheasant & Parsnip Risotto
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 2

30 mins
2 hours
medium
2

Recipe by

Jeff Baker

Ingredients

for pheasant & stock
1 pheasant, crown removed, legs & carcass kept for stock
1 tbls schmaltz or olive oil
1 onion peeled & cut into quarters
2 carrots peeled & cut in half
Parsnip trimmings from the risotto prep
4 cloves garlic smashed
Sprig fresh thyme
6 juniper berries crushed
150ml dry white wine
500ml chicken stock plus water to cover
for risotto
200g Arborio rice
1 onion finely diced
2 parsnips peeled, diced & blanched in salted water for 2 minutes
20g unsalted butter
1 tsp Schmaltz or olive oil
500ml pheasant Stock (hot)
Salt & cracked black pepper
40g Parmesan
Handful watercress to garnish

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Introduction

Parsnip is a root vegetable closely related to carrots and parsley. Its long taproot has cream-coloured skin and flesh, and, left in the ground to mature, it becomes sweeter in flavour after winter frosts. Perfect for roasting with your Sunday lunch, for making silky smooth parsnip soup or simply flavouring your favourite slow cook casseroles. Note the stock can be made in advance and kept in the chiller.

Method

wild pheasant & parsnip risotto recipe ingredients

Chop the legs and carcass into small pieces.
Next sear the chopped pheasant pieces in a little fat until nicely brown then add the onion, carrot, parsnip and garlic until cooked nicely browned.
Add the wine, thyme and juniper and reduce by half.
Add stock and top up with water to cover then simmer for 1½ hours or place in a slow cooker, the low setting for 6 hours skimming the surface from time to time.
Carefully pass the stock into a clean pan and keep hot.

Sear the crown In a heavy based pan then roast in the preheated oven at 180°C fan / 200°C / gas 6 for approximately 15 minutes, keeping the flesh just pink, add a knob of butter halfway through roasting and baste a couple of times to ensure the pheasant stays moist and tender.
Remove from pan, cover with foil and leave to rest whilst finishing the risotto.

Heat the butter and schmaltz over a gentle heat in a non-stick pan then add the onions and sweat until translucent (8 to 10 minutes).
Add the risotto rice and cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat then turn the heat up to high and gradually add the hot stock a ladle at a time, each time the rice has soaked up the stock add another ladle until the rice is tender and creamy about 20 minutes cooking time.
Stir in the creme fraiche, diced parsnip and half the Parmesan, season with black pepper and cook for a further 1 minute until fully mixed and hot.

To Serve, remove the breast meat from the pheasant crown and slice into bite size pieces, spoon the risotto in warm dishes , top with the pheasant then sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and Wild rocket leaves dressed in aged sherry vinegar and nut oil dressing.