Serves 2 | Cooking time: 1 hour, approx
The key to cooking a nice juicy and tender Pheasant, is to cook to temperature, not time and because these birds are a lean meat, overcooking them can be quite easy.
You wanted to aim for around 63c internal temp, removing the bird from the oven at 60c then let it rest.
For this dish, you will need:
2 Oven Ready Pheasants
400g Kale
2 Large Maris Piper Potatoes
Olive oil
Salt/Pepper
150g unsalted butter
Vegetable oil (for frying)
Method
Preheat your oven to 180c. Remove the pheasants from the fridge and bring them to room temperature. Place them in a roasting dish, lightly coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the middle of the oven and cook until internal temp reads 60c (use a meat probe)
As the pheasant roasts, peel your potatoes and use a mandolin to make the game chips. To create the lattice effect, rotate the potato half way with each slice. Place the game chips in a colander under running water to rinse off excess starch and pat dry with a cloth.
Place a deep pan over a medium heat and fill with around 2 inches of oil. Bring the oil to around 175c then carefully fry the game chips in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate, covered with kitchen roll, then season with salt.
Once the pheasant has cooked, remove from oven and let them rest. Meanwhile, place a saucepan over a medium heat and add the butter. Add the kale to the pan and stir through the butter, seasoning you like.
Divide the kale and chips between two plates alongside the pheasant. Serve with additional sides like a creamy mashed celeriac and/or a little pan sauce.
Written by Keith Greig (aka @keithcooks_)