Roast pheasant with celeriac and bacon
Method
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Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
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Place 25g/1oz of butter inside each pheasant. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place a rasher of bacon and a bay leaf on each bird.
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Put the onion, mushrooms, carrot, leek, garlic cloves and thyme in a roasting tin and place the birds on top.
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Spread more butter over the birds and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes.
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Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon lardons and fry until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon.
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Add the leek and celeriac and cook for 6-8 minutes. Return the bacon to the pan. Addthe cider and continue to cook until the volume of the liquid has reduced by half. Add the stock and reduce by half again.
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Stir in the cream and thyme leaves. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.
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To serve, carve the pheasants and place onto serving plates. Spoon the roasted vegetables alongside and spoon over the bacon and celeriac.
Ingredients
For the pheasants
- 2 x pheasants
- 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 rashers smoked streaky bacon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion, chopped
- 250g/9oz chestnut mushrooms, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 leek, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- small handful fresh thyme leaves, chopped
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 150g/5oz bacon lardons
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1 celeriac, cubed
- 200ml/7fl oz cider
- 100ml/3½fl oz game stock
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
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Roast pheasant with celeriac and bacon
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