Roast Pheasant with traditional Irish stuffing - a family recipe

Roast pheasant the way my mother cooked it for my father,

and the way my own children enjoy it now.

Pheasant, in my family, is something you never bought from the butchers, or, when you were given them, never asked where they came from! What changed hands would be a rabbit or some eggs or plants  or just a cup of tea and a friendly chat.

So, I was really pleased last week when my mother asked me if I'd like some pheasants, as she had some in the shed. 

The first thing to do is to pluck and clean them.

Pluck what you can, then cut off the head and neck, wings and feet,
then finish plucking.

Clean by making a small incision at the bottom and pulling everything out.

Remember to check the crop for corn and food.

Keep rinsing it all through.

If squeamish, buy them already prepared from your local butcher.

(About £8.50 a brace)

Then prepare the stuffing.

As you can imagine, potatoes are the main ingredient of the Irish stuffing.

However, the strong flavours of the other ingredients make sure it's not bland and tasteless.

So, in no particular order,
and in no precise amounts

put

the meat from a few pork sausages
some chopped smoked streaky bacon
chopped onions
sage  - dried /fresh or both
grated strong cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

add one or two raw eggs to bind it

and stuff the birds with the raw mixture.

Put them on their sides and wrap in streaky bacon

To prevent the meat from becoming dry, pour some red wine (a couple of glassfuls)
into the roasting dish and cover with foil.

Cook in a hot oven for about 15 minutes and then give it about an hour in the bottom oven

Take off the foil and brown it off for another 15 minutes in the top oven.

And there you have it.

Any left over stuffing can be cooked in the oven and eaten with the meal. 

Boiled Savoy cabbage is an excellent accompaniment

There are lots of delicious juices in the roasting pan.

Serve up the food.

Pour over some hot juice

Enjoy!

Sunday Lunch at Gidleigh Park

Well done to Michael Caines for achieving 2nd place in The Sunday Times top hundred Food List.

Sunday Lunch at Gidleigh Park is an amazing experience.

Chagford

Gidleigh Park is just a few miles from Chagford. An historic stannary town, one of only four in Devon, miners traditionally brought their tin here to be weighed and valued. Located above the River Teign on the edge of Dartmoor, the name means "The ford where the gorse grows" and although the Tin Mines are a thing of the past the town continues to be very much a thriving community.

This is also a good location to begin a walk exploring the surrounding moorland and hillsides or take the 3 mile route to historic Castle Drogo, built in the early part of the 20th Century this is a replica of medieval castle set on a rocky crag, well worth the walk.

Gidleigh Park is  notoriously difficult to find,

but certainly worth the effort.

It was a grey and rainy Sunday, and on a day like that, there's nothing better than pulling up infront of an enormous country pile and having two liveried men waiting with large umbrellas, offering to park the car  whilst escorting you into a stately drawing room for champagne cocktails by the roaring fire.

Gidleigh Park has two Michelin stars, thanks to the dedication and creativity of Michael Caines one of Britain's most acclaimed chefs. 

AA Chef's Chef of the Year in 2007, and awarded an MBE in 2006 for services to the hospitality industry, Michael returned to Britain in 1994 to take up the position of Head Chef at Gidleigh Park. Gidleigh's restaurant was already rated amongst the most prestigious in the country so the position represented a massive challenge and opportunity for a young and ambitious chef. Yet, only two months into the job, Michael suffered a terrible car accident in which he lost his right arm. Remarkably, he was back in the kitchen part time within two weeks, and full-time after just four. With the support of then owners Paul and Kay Henderson and an unwavering belief in his own ability to overcome obstacles, he returned to the kitchens of Gidleigh Park more focused and determined than ever to pursue his dream of reaching the top of his profession.

The only decision, which menu to go for!

Ahh..... no choice ...the Nine course Signature Menu !!!!

So

After a small amuse bouche we began.

Tartar of marinated tuna

scallops and lime , Oscietra caviar, soused turnip and beetroot, wasabi cream, honey and soy vinaigrette.

Terrine of foie gras

Madera jelly, truffled green bean salad

Cornish sea bass

roasted with anise spice, lobster and bouillaisse sauce

Partridge

quince puree, braised chicory, marinated raisins and a Gewurztraminer wine sauce

West Country beef fillet

wild mushrooms, shallot and horseradish comfit smoked bone marrow and a red wine sauce

A selection of Southwest cheeses

Sharpham Elmhurst, Quickes Mature Cheddar,Sloe Tavy and Harbourne Blue

Exotic fruit salad

passion fruit sorbet and crystaline of pineapple

Caramel and cardamon foam

All washed down with an amazing bottle of St Joseph Villard

We should have finished with coffee and petit fours

however

couln't have eaten another thing.

Total cost 365.00 for two.