As I type the house is filling with the lovely lemony smell of this fab but simple dish! In case you’re wondering the photos you see here are of a previous incarnation – known in the trade as one that I made earlier!
Being a Norfolk country girl pheasant has always been a favourite of mine. When I was a child my Dad used to go shooting and pheasant (along with pigeon was a family favourite). Many people find pheasant rather strong and gamey but I think that this recipe cuts through that with lovely light and zingy flavours. I have adapted it from a recipe in the late, great Keith Floyd. Oh and in case you’re interested my Dad doesn’t shoot any more but those you see here were bagged by my cousin Karl!
Recipe
2 pheasants jointed into eight pieces each
50g (2oz) plain flour
4-5 tablespoons olive oil
12-16 cloves of garlic, roughly crushed
A handful of olives
For the marinade
4—5 cloves of garlic, crushed
Sprigs of fresh lemon thyme and oregano Juice of 3 lemons
Freshly ground black pepper
1 wineglass of fino sherry or dry white wine
In a shallow dish marinate the pieces of pheasant with a 6 or so cloves the crushed garlic, the herbs, the juice the lemons and the sherry. Season with salt and pepper and leave for at least 3 hours.
Using a slotted spoon, lift the pheasant pieces from the marinade (reserving the liquid) and dredge them in the flour. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the pieces for about 5 minutes in batches , until they are golden brown then transfer them to a casserole or Spanish terracotta cooking dish.
Add the cloves of roughly crushed garlic to the frying pan; add the marinade, another glug of sherry, (and maybe one for yourself!), the olives and a large wine glass of water. Bubble up the pour over the pheasant. Cook in a moderate (180 degrees /gas make 4) oven for about an hour and a half until the pheasant is lovely and browned and the exposed skin is slightly crispy. I like to serve with crushed potatoes with either mint and or rosemary and green veg but it would work very well with crusty bread and a green salad.
