Best Pheasant With Risotto Grilled Asparagus And Roasted Cauliflower Recipes

EMERIL'S FAVORITE ROAST PHEASANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
• Season the cavities and the outside of each pheasant liberally with salt and pepper. Divide the chopped onion and carrot equally among the cavities of the pheasants. Squeeze the juice from both halves of the orange and set aside. Cut 1 of the squeezed halves into 3 pieces, and tuck inside of the cavities along with the veggies. Insert 1sprig of thyme into the cavity of each pheasant.
• Arrange the pheasants in a large roasting pan, breast sides up. Lay 2 strips of bacon over the top of each pheasant, cutting the bacon into pieces if necessary to cover as much of the pheasant as possible. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove the bacon strips and continue roasting for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear. (It is important to not overcook the pheasants, as they are very lean birds.) Remove the pheasants from the oven and transfer to a serving platter, loosely tented, while you make the sauce.
• Using a spoon, carefully remove as much extra fat from the pan as possible. Place the roasting pan over high heat and, when hot, deglaze with the reserved orange juice and Madeira, using a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the orange juice and Madeira have reduced by half, add the chicken stock and continue to cook until sauce has reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 to 4 minutes. Swirl in the butter and remove from the heat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Remove the back bone from each pheasant, then cut along the breast bone to divide the birds into two halves. Serve 1/2 pheasant per person, napped with some of the sauce and with some of the Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding.
• Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown and tender, 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Essence, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 3/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender and have given off their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the beer and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan and until the mixture is almost dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cream, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of Essence, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and whisk well to combine. Add the mushroom mixture and cheeses and stir well. Add the bread cubes and let sit until the bread has absorbed the liquid, 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with the butter. Add the bread crumbs, shaking to cover the bottom evenly. Pour the bread pudding mixture into the prepared pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour and uncover. Continue baking until risen and firm in the center, and golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

ROASTED VEGETABLE RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat stock and keep warm. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, saute garlic in butter for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add rice and pepper; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in wine. Cook and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed. , Add heated broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to absorb between additions. Cook just until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender. (Cooking time is about 20 minutes.) Add vegetables; cook and stir until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

ROAST PHEASANT

Steps:

• Sprinkle the inside of each pheasant with salt and pepper. The breast of each pheasant should be covered with 2 slices of fatback. The birds should then be trussed, with the string anchoring the fatback neatly in place. It is probably best in most cases that this be done by the butcher.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Heat the oil in a large roasting pan and brown the pheasants lightly on all sides. Arrange them, on their sides, in the roasting pan. Place in the oven and bake 10 minutes. Turn each pheasant on its other side and continue roasting 10 minutes.
• Place the pheasants on their backs and continue roasting, basting often, about 15 minutes. Untruss the pheasants. Discard the strings and fatback. Continue roasting, with the pheasants resting on their backs, about 20 minutes or until the cavity liquid runs clear when one of the pheasants is held, tail side down, over the roasting pan.

ROAST PHEASANT WITH WILD MUSHROOM DUXELLES AND ROASTED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place 1/2 teaspoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 15 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have given off their liquid and most liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste.
• Use your fingers to carefully loosen the skin over the breasts on each pheasant. Place some of the mushroom duxelle under the skin of each bird. Place 1 head of roasted garlic into the cavity of each bird. Rub the remaining teaspoon of olive oil over the skin of the pheasants. Season with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together. Place in a large roasting pan and surround with the carrots, potatoes and onions.
• Roast for 15 minutes, stopping once to run a spatula under the pheasants to prevent them from sticking. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Roast until the juices run slightly pink when pricked with a fork in the thickest part of the leg, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the string. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Cut the pheasants in half and serve with the roasted vegetables.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place asparagus in an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking sheet. Bake, uncovered at 400° until crisp- tender, stirring occasionally, 20-25 minutes., Meanwhile, place prosciutto in another ungreased baking pan. Bake at 400° until crisp, 10-12 minutes. Crumble prosciutto; set aside prosciutto and asparagus., In a large saucepan, heat broth and keep warm. In a large skillet, saute shallot and garlic in oil until tender. Add rice; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in the wine, pepper and salt. Cook and stir until all the liquid is absorbed., Add heated broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to absorb between additions. Cook until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender, 20 minutes., Add the asparagus, prosciutto and cheese; cook and stir until heated through. Serve immediately.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER RISOTTO

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Toss the cauliflower florets with 1 tablespoon olive oil on a baking sheet. Spread in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Roast on the upper oven rack, 5 minutes. Add the almonds and roast until the cauliflower is tender, about 15 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add the onion and cauliflower stems and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and garlic and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth, 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt; cover and bring to a boil. Transfer the pot to the lower oven rack and bake until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the rice from the oven and add the butter, fontina and parsley, stirring vigorously until the risotto is creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among bowls and top with the roasted cauliflower and almonds.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange asparagus in a single layer in 2 foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pans. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 12-15 minutes, turning once. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

PHEASANT WITH RISOTTO, GRILLED ASPARAGUS, AND ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Prep the pheasant:
• Remove both breasts from the pheasant and season all over with sumac, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate the breasts while you make the risotto and vegetables. If desired, use the rest of the pheasant to make stock to cook the risotto in.
• Make the risotto:
• In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, warm the stock. Keep hot.
• In a second medium saucepan over moderate heat, warm the oil. Add the fennel and leek and sauté until tender. Add the wine and simmer the mixture until nearly dry. Add the rice and sauté, stirring, until lightly toasted. Add about 1 ladle's worth of hot stock and cook, stirring frequently, until absorbed. Continue adding the stock, 1 ladle's worth at a time, and cook, stirring frequently, until all the stock is absorbed and the risotto is creamy and tender but still al dente. Stir in the butter, season with salt and pepper, and keep warm.
• Grill the asparagus:
• In a medium bowl, toss together the asparagus, oil, salt, and pepper. Heat a grill pan over moderate heat then add the asparagus and grill until tender. Alternatively, toss the asparagus, oil, salt, and pepper together on a large baking sheet and roast in a 500°F oven until tender.
• Roast the cauliflower:
• Preheat the oven to 500°F.
• On a large baking sheet, toss together the cauliflower, oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until tender and caramelized.
• Finish the pheasant:
• In a large sauté pan over moderate heat, warm the oil. Add the pheasant and sear, flipping once, until both sides develop a rich brown color. Add the butter and sage and once the butter melts, use it to baste the breasts. Continue cooking until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pheasant (do not touch the bone) registers 165°F. Let the pheasant rest briefly then cut each breast in half.
• To serve:
• Divide the risotto, asparagus, and cauliflower among 4 plates. Top each with 1/2 pheasant breast and garnish with the reserved fennel fronds, if desired.