Ingredients
- 1 whole large pheasant breast, split and boned
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 dried morels, brushed off
- 2 large shallots, peeled and chopped
- 2 large white mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed and sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons chicken demi-glace
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- Nutritional Information
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)
681 calories; 34 grams fat; 19 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 62 grams protein; 222 milligrams cholesterol; 142 milligrams sodium
Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
2 servings
Preparation
- Flatten pheasant breasts slightly with a mallet or rolling pin, then rub with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and season with black pepper.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat in a 9-inch skillet. When it foams, sear the pheasant, skin side down, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate, cover and keep warm.
- Steep the dried morels in 1/2 cup hot water for about 5 minutes. Drain and strain, reserving the soaking liquid. Discard stems and slice caps thinly.
- Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet and saute the shallots for 2 minutes, until golden, then add the morels and mushrooms for 1 minute. Remove to a bowl and keep warm.
- Boil the reserved soaking liquid with the brandy and white wine until reduced by 1/2, about 1 minute, then whisk in the cream and demi-glace and boil about 1 minute, until sauce is thickened and smooth. Whisk in the remaining lemon juice and the cayenne.
- Place the pheasant breasts skin side up on hot serving plates and top each with half the mushroom mixture, then the sauce.
- Enclose each breast with (ideally) a glass cover. Alert your guests to the olfactory possibilities, so they don’t blow the experience the way I did. Once they are seated and you have their attention, lift the cover and fan the essence toward them, if necessary.
35 minutes
Dining and Cooking