Recipe Index

cider-braised pheasant with pearl onions and apples

By Melissa Clark

serves 8 ingredients for marinade:

· 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil · 5 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped · 3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, whole · 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1 1/2 oranges) · 3 tablespoons finely grated orange zest (from 1 1/2 oranges) · large pinch kosher salt · 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper · 3 (3-pound) pheasants, each rinsed inside and out, patted dry, cut into 6 pieces

make marinade:

In blender, combine olive oil, ginger, tarragon, orange juice, zest, salt, and pepper and purée until smooth. In large bowl, combine marinade and pheasant and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 48 hours.

braise pheasant:

In very large Dutch oven over moderately high heat, heat olive oil until hot but not smoking. Remove pheasant pieces from marinade, scraping off excess, and sprinkle with salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Working in batches, sear pheasant pieces until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel-lined platter to drain. Preheat oven to 325°F. Skim off all but 1 tablespoon oil from pan, leaving browned bits at bottom, and set pan over moderately low heat. Add butter and heat until melted. Stir in onions, bay leaf, fennel seeds, salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are well caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes.

Return pheasant to pot. Add chicken broth, cider, and wine. (Liquid should cover half of pheasant pieces. Add more chicken broth if necessary.) Raise heat to high and bring liquid to simmer. Add apples, cover, and transfer pot to oven. Braise, turning pheasant pieces occasionally, until meat is cooked through and tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

while juices are reducing, prepare caramelized onions and apples:

Bring medium pot of water to boil. Add pearl onions and boil, uncovered, 1 minute. Drain and run under cold water until cool enough to handle; slip off skins.

In small skillet over moderately high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onions, apples, sugar, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Sear, shaking pan occasionally, until onions and apples are dark golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in apple cider, scraping up any browned bits in pan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until onions are fork tender, about 2 minutes more.

serve:

Spoon some of sauce over pheasant and garnish with onions, apples, and chopped tarragon. Serve additional sauce alongside.

ingredients for braise:

· 1 teaspoon kosher salt · 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper · 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil · 1 tablespoon unsalted butter · 3 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 6 cups) · 1 bay leaf · 1 teaspoon fennel seeds · 1 teaspoon table salt · pinch sugar · 2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus additional, if necessary · 2 cups apple cider · 1 cup dry white wine · 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced Using tongs or slotted spoon, transfer pheasant to platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Set pot over high heat and bring pan juices to boil. Boil, uncovered, until sauce is well reduced and thickened, about 25 minutes. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary.

ingredients for caramelized onions & apples:

· 10 ounces pearl onions, root ends trimmed · 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil · 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes · 2 teaspoons sugar · pinch kosher salt · pinch freshly ground black pepper · 3 tablespoons apple cider

ingredients to serve:

· Fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

roasted quail with grapes

Recipe from French Taste by Laura Calder. ©2009 by Laura Calder. All rights reserved. Published by HarperCollins Canada.

makes 8 servings

ingredients:

· 8 quail · 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil · 3 tablespoons Cognac · salt and pepper · 1 cup chicken stock (homemade or low sodium) · 1 pound seedless green and red grapes, halved Rinse, pat dry, and truss the quail. Mix the oil with 1 tablespoon with 1 tablespoon of the Cognac, and salt and pepper. Rub well all over the hens in a dish, and set aside half an hour to marinate. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Heat a roasting pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat, and brown the quail well on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Spoon out any excess oil from the pan, and transfer the quail to the oven to finish cooking, about 25 minutes or until the juices run clear at the leg.

Transfer the quail to a serving platter, and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour the fat off the pan, and discard. Over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons Cognac to the pan and carefully light it. When the flames die out, add the stock and boil to reduce by about half. Reduce the heat to low, add the grapes, and heat for about 3 minutes to warm through and barely soften them. Pour the sauce and the grapes over the quail, and serve.

honey-roasted duck

by Melissa Clark

makes 4 servings

ingredients for brine:

· 2 tablespoons salt, more to taste · 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, more to taste · 2 garlic cloves, minced · 6 bay leaves, crushed · One 5-pound Long Island (a.k.a Pekin) duck

ingredients for roasting pan:

· 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled · 1 lemon, quartered · 3 large sage sprigs · 3-4 sprigs thyme · 3 tablespoons honey Trim the excess fat from the duck; you’ll see lumps of it next to the tail and around the neck opening. To brine the duck, in a small bowl stir together salt, pepper, minced garlic cloves and bay leaves. Rub the duck all over with the brine mixture, including the cavity. Using a skewer or the point of a paring knife, prick the duck skin all over, being careful not to pierce the flesh. Place the duck in a plastic bag, squeeze the air out, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Fill a stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Carefully, using a pair of tongs and a wooden spoon to stabilize the duck, lower the duck into the boiling water and blanch for 5 minutes. The blanching tightens the skin and helps it crisp during roasting. Bring the pot next to the sink; place a colander inside the sink. Carefully, using the tongs and a wooden spoon, lift the duck out of the water and into the colander to drain.

When the duck is cool enough to handle but is still warm, stuff its cavity with the lemon and remaining 6 garlic cloves. Place the sage and thyme in last so the herbs poke out of the cavity–they will act as netting and prevent the stuffing ingredients from falling out.

Place the duck on a roasting rack, breast side up, over a roasting pan. Roast for 45 minutes; then using a wooden spoon and a pair of tongs, flip the duck so it’s breast side down. Roast duck for another 50 minutes. Brush the back of the duck with 1 tablespoon of honey, flip the duck so it’s breast side up again, and roast another 20 minutes. Raise the heat to 500ºF, brush the duck breast with 2 tablespoons of honey, and roast 15 or so minutes until the skin is crispy and brown. Allow the duck to rest for 20 minutes before carving. Serve warm.

boeuf bourguinonne

by Josephine Orba

makes 16 servings

ingredients:

· olive oil · 4 - 5 pounds beef (top sirloin or top round) trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes. · 4 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced · 2 cloves of garlic minced (optional) · 1 bag frozen white pearl onions · 1 - 2 cups beef stock · 2 - 3 cups red wine · 1 pound button mushrooms, cleaned, cut in half if they are large · salt, pepper · Beurre Manié (equal parts flour mixed with soft butter, added to thicken the sauce, you’ll need 1- 2 tablespoons) · Chopped fresh thyme and parsley Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Pat beef dry. On the top of the stove, brown the meat in a little olive oil in a large skillet. Place into heavy casserole dish and season with salt and pepper. Cook onions and carrots in same pan until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook a few seconds and add the vegetables to the meat. Deglaze sauté pan with wine, then pour wine and stock over meat and braise in slow oven for 2 - 3 hours.

While meat is braising, sauté mushrooms in a little butter, set aside.

After the meat is tender, remove from oven add the Beurre Manié to the pot. Stir well and return to oven. Add mushrooms and heat through. Check seasoning. Stir in fresh thyme and parsley.

baking powder biscuits (cat head biscuits)

by Michael Martin

Michael Martin is an owner/rider/trainer from Franklin, TN. He has fox hunted for years in Virginia and Pennsylvania. They call these Cat Head Biscuits “Cause they’re as big as a cat’s head”.

makes 12-15 biscuits

ingredients for brine:

· 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour · 3 teaspoons baking powder · 1/2 teaspoon salt · 1/2 cup shortening · 1 cup milk Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. Using fork, cut shortening into flour until consistency of coarse meal. Add milk; stir with fork until mixture leaves sides of bowl and forms a soft, moist dough.

On floured surface, toss lightly until no longer sticky. Roll out to 1/2 inch thick, and cut with 2-inch round, floured cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Makes about 12 to 15 biscuits.

roasted vegetables

by Josephine Orba

makes 16 servings

ingredients:

· 3 parsnips · 6 carrots · 1 red onion · 1 large sweet potato · 1 pound Brussels sprouts · 3 cloves garlic · olive oil, salt, pepper, fresh chopped parsley Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub carrots and parsnips (cut into 2-inch pieces if large). Slice red onion in rings. Peel and slice sweet potato into wedges. Trim Brussels sprouts and cut in half. Peel garlic cloves and toss all vegetables in generous amount of olive oil. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Spread onto a large baking sheet and roast, tuning occasionally until cooked and browned, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

panna cotta with jelly

by Josephine Orba

ingredients for brine:

· 2 1/2 cups heavy cream · 2 teaspoons gelatin · 1/2 cup sugar · 1 teaspoon vanilla · 2 cups raspberry jello or fruit juice mixed with gelatin · fresh raspberries

for the panna cotta

Sprinkle gelatin onto 1/2 cup cream to soften. Heat 2 cups of cream with 1/2 cup sugar –do not boil. Combine hot cream and cream with gelatin and cream. Add vanilla and stir until thoroughly dissolved. Pour into small, clear serving containers. Cool and refrigerate until set.

for the jelly

Make raspberry Jello or add 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons gelatin to 2 cups fruit juice. Allow to cool but not set. Place single raspberry on surface of set cream and pour raspberry Jello or gelatin over it. Return to fridge to set.

High Spirits: Man About Town

Recipe courtesy of Gramercy Tavern

makes 1 cocktail

Stir until very cold in mixing tin filled with ice: 2 oz. rye (we use Rittenhouse but any good rye will do) 1 oz. Cynar (a specific brand of Italian amaro) 1 oz. sweet vermouth (we use Dolin)

Strain into coupe or martini glass. Optional garnish: a brandied cherry in the bottom of the glass.

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