Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour
Serves
Serves 2
Recommended by
1 person
Treat yourselves to a rather special dinner for two - juicy pheasant with an Italian chicory salad.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Season the inside of the pheasant with salt and pepper and stuff it with rosemary. Wrap the pancetta over the pheasant and secure with cook's string.
In a heavy-based, ovenproof frying pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and cook the pheasant on all sides to seal and colour a light golden-brown. Add the Marsala to the pan and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes depending on the size of the pheasant. Remove from the oven and leave to cool down.
Score the chestnuts on their flat side and boil in water for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and leave to cool.
Wash the salad leaves thoroughly and dry them. Mix the salad leaves with two tablespoons of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, then mix in the dandelion, mint and pomegranate.
Take off the pancetta from around the bird and chop into small strips.
Carve the pheasant so you have a nice mixture of breast and leg meat.
Cut the chestnuts in half and scoop out the insides with a teaspoon.
To serve, put a pile of pheasant on each serving plate and pour over a little of the juice from the pan the pheasant was cooked in. Add a scoop of chestnuts, some pancetta pieces and serve with the salad.
By Mike Robinson
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By Valentine Warner
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