
25 g (1 oz) butter | |
1 tablespoon olive oil | |
750 g (12 lb) oven-ready pheasant | |
200 g (7 oz) shallots, halved | |
50 g (2 oz) smoked streaky bacon rashers, diced, or ready-diced pancetta | |
2 celery sticks, thickly sliced | |
1 tablespoon plain flour | |
300 ml (2 pint) chicken stock | |
4 tablespoons dry sherry | |
100 g (3½ oz) vacuum-packed prepared chestnuts | |
2-3 thyme sprigs | |
salt and pepper |
1. | Preheat the slow cooker if necessary. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan, add the pheasant, breast side down, the shallots, bacon or pancetta and celery and fry until golden brown, turning the pheasant and stirring the other ingredients. |
2. | Transfer the pheasant to the slow cooker pot, placing it breast side down. Stir the flour into the onion mixture. |
3. | Gradually add the stock and sherry, then add the chestnuts, thyme and a little salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, stirring, then spoon over the pheasant. |
4. | Cover with the lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours until tender. Test with a knife through the thickest part of the pheasant leg and breast to make sure that the juices run clear. |
5. | Carve the pheasant breast into thick slices and cut the legs away from the body. |
6. | FOR POT-ROAST GUINEA FOWL WITH PRUNES, fry a 1 kg (2 lb) guinea fowl instead of the pheasant as above. |
7. | Transfer the fowl to the slow cooker, mix in 2 tablespoons plain flour, then add 450 ml (4 pint) chicken stock and the sherry. |
8. | Omit the chestnuts and add 75 g (3 oz) halved ready-to-eat pitted prunes instead. Continue as above, but cook for 5-6 hours. |
Leave a Reply