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GTB · Bentlian Oldboy Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 868 Status:

Pheasant Roulade

2 pheasant breasts, sliced lengthwise. (keep the goujons, you'll need them in a minute)
Arrange the breasts on clingfilm so that they roughly resemble a rectangle. Place more clingfilm on top & hammer the beejeesus out of them until you end up with a 1/2 inch thick rough square. (use the trimmings to fill in any holes) Chill this in the fridge until you need it next.
Meanwhile, sautee off some finely-chopped leeks & mushrooms in butter with a minced clove of garlic. I generally add a good grating of nutmeg during this stage. Once softened, add a tablespoon or so of soft cheese & allow it to form a thick gooey suace. Add smoked cheese (as much or as little as you like. Or leave it out altogether if you want)

Once the mixture has cooled, arrange some smoked bacon rashers over the pheasant & spoon the mixture over this.

Now comes the tricky part!!! Transfer the square of pheasant to a buttered sheet of foil. The idea is to 'roll' the square up without trapping the foil inside it. Bit tricky, but it's not at all difficult. Once you've managed to form a thick 'sausage' twist the ends of the foil tightly & you'll find everything firms up nicely. Bake in a hot oven for 35 to 40 minutes, allow to rest & carve slices off whilst still in the foil (you can take the foil off afterwards, but it really helps it to keep its shape whilst carving. I served it with a white wine sauce along with roasted veg (whole shallots, peppers, whole mushrooms & chopped courgette with garlic & rosemary) & sauteed baby potatoes.

Crispy Aromatic Duck

This works better with wild duck or even a wild goose. I have done this with a Canada goose and it was good. Usually use mallard though.
Pluck/ draw/ wash and towel dry duck/s.
Boil a kettle of water and placing the duck/s on a wire rack in the sink pour boiling water over them to make the skin retract. Leave a couple of minutes to cool and again towel dry. To make the crispy coating for the ducks mix 1 bag of brown sugar, six tablespoons of water and 6 tablespoons of dark soy sauce in a saucepan and gently heat to melt the sugar. Stir the caramelised mixture until thoroughly melted and runny. You made need to add a touch more water and soy sauce if too thick. Ideally it should be quite thick but brushable. Place the duck/s on the rack once more and paint the mixture evenly over the birds until thoroughly coated. Leave to stand in the fridge for 12 - 24hrs. To cook the ducks place in a pre heated oven at 200 degrees or gas mark 7 for 1 and a half hours on the rack above a tray of water. During the cooking you may have to top up the water tray. Do not let it dry out.
You can make pancakes or buy from an oriental shop. Personally I prefer the flour fajitas. Finely chop spring onion and cucumber and acquire some plum sauce or Hoi-sin sauce from your local take a way.
Enjoy but mind the pellets.

Bayou Bunnies

Thought you might enjoy this one, i've seen the number of rabbits you have.
2 rabbits ; cut into serving pieces
1 cup flour
Worcestershire sauce
cooking oil

Cajun sauce--
5 tablespoons cooking oil
1 tablespoon flour
3-4 large onions diced
2-3 stalks celery, minced
1 red bell pepper, clean out seeds and dice
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
as much minced garlic as you like
pinch of ground red pepper
3 shakes tabasco sauce
salt and black pepper to taste1/4 cup water
to make sauce , brown flour in cooking oil,stirring constantly. add onions and saute to a pulp.
mix in rest of ingredients and cook slowly over low heat for about 45 minutes.
sprinkle rabbit worcestershire sauce , roll in flour and brown in a skillet. arrange in a crock pot and pour Cajun sauce and about 1/4 cup of water over them, cover and cook slowly for about 8 hours. Wild or dirty rice is a great side dish to serve w/ this . Enjoy!!

Duck stew with dumplings

3 mallard size ducks
2 onions diced
1crumbled bay leaf
1 whole clove
10 peppercorns cracked
1tablespoon salt
6 onoins quartered
6 carrots diced
2 celery stalks diced
1/2 cup flour
1 cup peas
1/3 cup milk
2tablespoons butter
1cup self rising cake flour

Clean and cut up 3 ducks . Put pieces in a stew pot w/ 2 cut up onions , bay leaf ,clove, cracked peppercorns, salt and 2 cups water. bring to boil and reduce heat, cover pot and simmer for 11/2 hours . add six more quartered onions , cook for 15 minutes more, add carrots and celery, simmer for another 15 min..
Remove ducks and veggies and keep warm.strain broth and return to pot. add enough waterto make 4 cups broth in all. mix flour w/ 1/2cup water and stir it into broth. cook stirring constantly until gravy thickens.
return ducks to pot along w/ cooked veggies .to this add peas cover and simmer for 5min.. mix milk,butter and cake flour . when flour is dampened form into little balls and drop them in the pot. cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Enjoy, Flatiron

Venison Sauerbraten

While this dish is for venison it works well with rabbit and squirrel too and i like a mix of all three.
5# venison roast
2 large onions sliced
1 quart red wine
1 pint water and 1pint white vinegar
2bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
6 whole cloves
1 tbsp. sugar
3 fresh pine twigs or juniper berries
flour seasoned w/ salt and pepper
2 tbsp. butter
1 large carrot sliced
3/4 cup canned tomatoes
put roast in a large non metal pan or casserole. slice 1onion and add to meat, combine w/ wine, water, vinegar, bay leaves, pepper corns,cloves and sugar. bring mix to a boil and simmer for 5 min.. let it cool and poor over meat. add the twigs or berries. cover and marinate the meat in a cool place for 24 to 72 hours, turning occasionally . remove meat, let it drain and wipe dry.strain the marinade and reserve 2 cups. rub the meat w/ flour, salt and pepper. heat the butter in casserole and brown the meat well on all sides. add the second onion, carrot, tomatoes,strained marinade and 2 cups of water; simmer covered, turning the meat once or twice, for 21/2 hours or until meat is tender. remove the meat and keep warm.
sauce-- thicken the gravy w/ roux of equal parts of flour and butter and add sour cream to taste. serve w/ mashed potatoes, and a green salad vinaigrette. a bottle or two of good red wine goes good w/ this one. enjoy

Squirrels in Cider

3 squirells,
seasoned flour,
4oz fat ham diced,
rough scrumpy ,to barely cover,
2 tablespoons butter,
8 oz hot cream,
1/2 tablespoon flour,1 tablespoon butter mixed,
salt and pepper.

skin,clean and disjoint the 3 plump early winter squirrels.soak the pieces in cold salted water for 20 minutes,wipe them dry and dust in seasoned flour.in a heavy skillet,brown the diced ham fat.add the squirrels and prown the pieces well on all sides in the ham fat.add barely enough rough scrumpy to cover the squirrel,cover the skillet and simmer untill most of it has evaporated and the meat is tender.add the butter,increase the heat,and quickly brown the pieces of meat oncemore.remove the squirrel to a warmed serving platter,add the cream to the juices remaining in the skillet to deglaze.stir in,bit by bit, the flour and butter paste,add the seasoning to taste,and strain the sauce into a gravy boat.

Rabbit recipes

A few from Malta. Rabbits are all that can breed quicker than the Maltese can shoot.

Fried Rabbit

2tsp. tomato puree
1 rabbit, cut into small joints
1 head of peeled garlic
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
salt, pepper to taste

Simmer the tomato puree and 100ml. water in a deep pan. Fry the garlic in the oil, but do not let it brown. Transfer the cloves to the tomato mixture. Brown the rabbit joints in the garlic oil. Transfer to the tomato pan. Cover and simmer for about 45mins. until tender. Season to taste.

An alternative is to omit the tomato puree and water and pour a couple of glasses of red wine over the fried rabbit. Transfer to an earthenware casserole and cook in a low oven for 1hr. approx.
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Rabbit Stew

1 rabbit, jointed, including liver and heart
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
200ml. red wine
salt and pepper
100g. fresh or frozen peas. If fresh, cooked.

Dust the rabbit joints in seasoned flour. Fry a few at a time in the oil until golden brown. Put to one side. In the same pan fry the onions, carrot and garlic untill light brown. Return the rabbit to the pan, add wine and season. Cover and simmer until rabbit is tender, approx. 1hr. Add liver, heart and peas for last 15mins.
The sauce can be served as a starter with spaghetti.
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Garlic Flavoured Rabbit

1 rabbit jointed
375ml. red wine
40(forty) cloves, peeled garlic
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
2-3 bay leaves
salt and pepper

Pour the wine over the rabbit and marinade overnight. Sweat the cloves of garlic in the oil in a large pan. Do not brown, remove and reserve.
Brown the rabbit on all sides. Transfer to a large casserole, add the wine marinade, bay leaves, garlic and season.
Cover and cook gently until tender approx. 1hr. Add some more wine if it starts to dry out.
Serve hot with spuds or pasta and green veggies.
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British

Rabbit with Mustard

1tbsp. plain flour
1tbsp. English mustard powder
4 lge. rabbit joints
2tbsp. butter
2tbsp. oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 pint beer. Drink 3/4's while cooking!!!!
1/2 pint chicken stock
1tbsp. tarragon vinegar
2tbsp. dark brown sugar
2-3tbsp. prepared English mustard
salt & pepper

To Finish
4tbsp. butter
2tbsp. oil
2oz. fresh breadcrumbs
1tbsp. fresh chives, snipped
1tbsp. fresh tarragon

Pre-heat oven to 160c/325f/gas 3.
Mix flour and mustard powder together on a plate
dust the rabbit in flour mix and keep excess flour.
Heat the butter and oil in a heavy flameproof casserole, brown the rabbit and remove. Stir in the onion and cook until soft.
Stir in the remaining flour mix, cook for 1 minute then stir in the beer, vinegar and stock. Bring to the boil, add sugar and pepper, simmer for 2 mins.
Return the rabbit and any juices to casserole, cover tightly and oven cook for 1hr.
Stir in the prepared mustard and add salt to taste. Cover again and cook for another 15mins.
To finish: heat extra butter and oil in a frying pan and fry the breadcrumbs, stirring frequently until golden and then stir in the herbs.

Transfer rabbit to a warmed serving dish. sprinkle over the breadcrumb mix and serve hot.
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Spring Rabbit Casserole

1tbsp. sunflower oil.
1lb. boneless rabbit.
4 rashers, streaky bacon, rinded and chopped.
2 leeks, sliced.
4 sping onions, sliced.
3 celery sticks, chopped.
4 small carrots, sliced.
1/2pint vegetable stock.
2tsp. Dijon mustard.
1tsp. grated lemon rind.
3-4tbsp. creme fraiche.
salt & black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 190c/375f/gas5.
Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole and fry the rabbit until browned all over.
Add bacon and veggies and cook fo 1min. stirring. Then add stock, mustard, lemon rind and creme fraiche, season to taste, then bring to boil.
Cover and cook for 35-40mins. until tender.

Serve with mash with chopped chives and parsley mixed in.

Game Cottage Pie

While I use venison, rabbit and squirrel are equally good.
1 lb . meat of choice
2 oz. dried sliced mushrooms although i like them fresh
6tbsp. olive oil
1 shallot minced
1onion , sliced
11/4 cups game stock
2tbsp. gin
1/4 cup cashews
1tsp. juniper berries
1/4tsp. salt
1/2tsp. pepper
1tsp.bouquet garni
3 med. potatoes sliced 1in. thick
3/4 cup warm milk
4tbsp. butter
2med carrots ,julienned
2celery stalks "
in a smal bowl cover the mushrooms w/ warm waterand soak for 30min. drain. cut meat into 3/4 in cubes, dust w/ flour . in a dutch oven , heat oil over medium heat. Fry the meat until browned on all sides .add shallot, onion, stock, gin,cashews, juniper berries , salt ,pepper and garni. Bring to boil , lower the heatand simmer 1 hour. while the stew cooks boil 2 quarts water inlarge sauce pan, add potatoes nad cook until tender , drain. mash potatoes w/ 1 tablespoon of butter and milk. saute carrots and celery about 3 minutes . puor your meat mixture into 2 qt. casserole , add a carrot and celery . cover completely w/mashed potatoes. dot the top w/ remaining butter and sprinkle w/ paprika. bake at 375 dgrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned . Enjoy , Von

Venison with Brandy and Redcurrant Sauce

Ingredients:
625 - 750g/1.25 -1.50lb Venison diced
1 Quantity of marinade (see below)
2 Tablespoons of olive oil
125g/4oz Rindless streaky bacon - diced
2-3 Tablespoons seasoned flour
6-8 Table spoons redcurrant jelly
2 Table spoons of Grappa or Brandy
Salt and pepper

Marinade:
1 Carrot - chopped
1 Celery stick - chopped
1 Large onion
1-2 Garlic cloves - crushed
6-8 Parsley stalks
1 Sprig of Rosemary or Thyme (or both if you prefer)
2 Bay leaves
4 Juniper berries
8 Peppercorns
600ml/1 pint Red wine (full bodied preferably)

Method:
1) Place the venison and the marinade in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning the venison from time to time. Remove the meat (when ready) from the marinade and dry.

2) Heat the oil in a pan and cook the bacon until golden brown. Remove from the pan. Toss the venison in the seasoned flour and brown it on all sides in the hot oil.

3) Add the bacon and the marinade to the pan. Season lightly, cover and simmer gently on top of the stove, or cook in a preheated oven at 180c/350f/gas mark4 for 1.5 - 2 hours

4) Remove the venison from the pan, cover and keep hot. Strain the cooking liquid into a clean pan and whisk in 2 tablespoons of redcurrant jelly. Boil until the sauce reduces to a thin coating consistency. Pour over the meat and keep hot.

5) Melt the remaining redcurrant jelly in a pan and whisk until smooth. Add the grappa or brandy and boil for about 1 minute. Pour into a sauce boat and serve separately.

Serves 4 - 6 people. Best served with mashed potato and green cabbage (kale, broccoli).

Pheasant recipes

Confit of pheasant legs

1. Separate legs and put into a marinade of crushed juniper berries, garlic & thyme.
2. Now that legs have been marinating for several hours, remove and place in an earthen ware dish and cover with Goose or duck fat. Now cover with foil and cook in oven for at least 2 hours on a low heat 150 or gas mark 2-3. This is a confit of pheasant. The meat cooks slowly in the fat, tenderising until the meat is soft and is ready to fall of the bone.
3. Once cooked remove and leave to cool. At this point they can be left in the fat for months or in this instance eaten.
Heat a saute pan till hot and place in the confit legs, crisp and brown on both sides. Crisps up very quickly a bit like crispy duck. Now serve with tha ramsons, straw potatoes and flash fried breast.

Rock samphire and seville orange marmalade sauce

1. Remove the breasts and took out small fillets from back of breasts.
Snapped carcase in half and threw into a medium sized saucepan with a little goose fat. Now brown off over high heat.
2. Throw in roughly chopped celery stick, red onion, carrot & leek.
Add bay leaf, fresh thyme, peppercorns and few juniper berries. Top up with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for a few hours.

3. Now strain the stock and throw away the carcasse. Replace stock in a clean pan and reduce by half.
4. Add a handful of blanched rock samphire and a good table spoon of seville marmalade. Reduce further by half.
5. The sauce by now will be thickening. Throw in a good nob of butter and whisk in to give a gloss and enrichen.

I served this with gently wilted ramsons in butter & black pepper and straw potatoes.
The breast is simplicity itself.
Firstly the fillet
1.Take a piece of dry cured streaky bacon minus the rind. Season and then roll the fillet into the bacon, essentially making a "pig in blanket".
2. Season the breast. Heat a small amount of duck fat in a saute pan very hot.
3. Place the breasts in skin side down, saute fro two mins only, turn over and repeat. The brests should still be springy to the touch. SLightly pink.

Bear · Bentlian Oldboy Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Posts: 822 Status:

I've got to try the squirrels in cider. Know where I can get any?

GTB · Bentlian Oldboy Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 868 Status:

I have a plentyfull supply of squirrels if you want some. They're a sod to skin mind. :lol: There is quite a bit of meat on the back legs but not much above the saddle.

Bear · Bentlian Oldboy Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Posts: 822 Status:

Anyone know where I can get some cheap game you know pheasent, rabbit, pidgeon etc