PHEASANT WITH BLACK OLIVES

      Title: PHEASANT WITH BLACK OLIVES
  Categories: Wild game, Poultry
       Yield: 8 Servings
  
       4    Pheasants
 
 MMMMM--------------------------MARINADE-------------------------------
       2 c  Zinfandel
       3 lg Shallots, peeled, thinly
            -sliced
       5    Garlic cloves, peeled,
            -thinly sliced
     1/2 bn Fresh thyme
       3    Bay leaves, cracked
       1 tb Juniper berries
 
 MMMMM---------------------------SAUCE--------------------------------
            Bones from the pheasants
       4 tb Olive oil
   1 1/2 md Size unpeeled onions,
            -quartered
   1 1/2    Heads of garlic
            Two 750 milliliter bottles
            -Zinfandel
       3 qt Strong chicken stock
       6 oz Black olives (preferably
            -kalamata), pitted
       3    Roma tomatoes, peeled,
            -seeded, chopped
            Salt and pepper, to taste
  
   To remove breast meat and thighs from pheasants, cut down each side
   of the ridge of the breastbone with a boning knife. Scrape the knife
   down the side of the breast bone and the rib cage to remove meat from
   the bone. Leave wings attached. Slit the skin between the knee and
   top of the breast, then slip it around to the small of the back.
   Force the knee down, and soon you will see the ball joint where the
   leg-thigh meets the small of the back, Cut through the knee joint.
   Run tip of knife along both sides of remaining thigh bone and pull
   away from the meat. A boneless thigh portion, skin-on and rather
   square shaped, and a skin-on boneless breast with wing attached
   remain. Reserve bones for stock. Mix marinade ingredients and pour
   over pheasant. Marinate 2 to 3 hours. The sauce: Crack reserved bones
   with the blunt edge of a heavy knife. Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart
   stock pot until oil is smoking hot. Add bones and brown, stirring
   constantly. After 10 minutes bones should begin to take on a golden
   brown color. Keep stirring so ingredients don't burn. Add onions and
   garlic and cook approximately 10 minutes longer, until onions and
   garlic have caramelized, and the bones have browned. Spoon excess oil
   from pot, and add Zinfandel, stirring to dislodge browned bits from
   bottom of pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook until liquid reduces in
   volume and becomes syrupy. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, and
   cook until sauce has reduced to 3 or 4 cups. Strain. Sauce should be
   thick enough to coat a spoon. When ready to serve, reheat sauce with
   the olives and tomatoes. Season to taste with pepper and salt. Lift
   pheasant from marinade and scrape off any solids clinging to the
   meat. Season with salt and pepper. Sear meat skin side down until
   golden. Turn and repeat. Roast pheasant in a 400 degrees F. oven for
   10 to 12 minutes. Breast meat will be finished first and should feel
   plump and tender to the touch. Thigh meat must be cooked through and
   will need a few more minutes to cook. Serve 1 breast and 1 thigh per
   person. Drizzle olive sauce over meat.
[ add our full cookbook to your website ] [ Search The Cookbook ]