pheasant recipe
A delicious upland recipe—no plucking required..
SHARE
pheasant recipe,
A delicious (and easy) upland recipe. Roscoe Betsil

Few things grace a plate as dramatically as a whole plucked upland bird, however it’s cooked. But sometimes, for any number of reasons, plucking isn’t an option. In this dish, skinned birds supply as much wow factor as their bronzed-skinned brethren—maybe even more, in the flavor department. Cooking the birds couldn’t be easier: You drop them into a bubbling pot of wine and stock, turn off the heat, and forget about them for a while. Almost any bird will shine here.

Ingredients
8 quail, skinned
1 bottle riesling or other white wine
4 cups chicken stock
4 oz. fresh chorizo or other sausage
2 shallots, minced
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
2⁄3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 medium butternut squash
9 oz. Brussels sprouts
4 Tbsp. butter
11⁄2 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions
1. Combine the wine and the stock in a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Salt and pepper the quail and lower them into the pot, adding just enough water to cover. When the liquid returns to a boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot. The quail should be done after about 30 minutes.

2. While the quail poach, remove the sausage from its casing and place in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, using a wooden spoon to crumble the sausage, for about 2 minutes, or until browned, then add a tablespoon of the shallots and half the garlic. Cook for another minute, add the olive oil and vinegar, and continue to cook for about another minute. Remove from the heat, salt and pepper the vinaigrette generously, and cover with foil to keep warm.

3. Using the grating attachment on your food processor, grate the squash. Remove the shredded squash to a bowl. (You should have about 5 or 6 cups, give or take.) Cut off and discard the stem ends of the Brussels sprouts, then grate them as well.

4. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the squash in batches (it will shrink as it cooks), stirring occasionally but allowing it to brown. After 6 minutes, add the Brussels sprouts. (If the mixture seems dry, add more butter or a glug of olive oil.) Continue to cook for another 4 minutes or so, until tender but not mushy, then add the sage and salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

5. Remove the quail from the pot, and check to make sure they’re done. Stir—and, if necessary, rewarm—the vinaigrette. To serve, divide the squash mixture between four plates. Top each with two quail, then spoon some of the warm vinaigrette over the birds and the hash. (You may have a little left over.) Serves 4