Pheasant braised with leeks, cider & apples

• olive oil↗2 tbsp tbsp
• large pheasants↗2

  jointed

• leeks↗2

  washed, trimmed and sliced

• of smoked streaky bacon↗2 rashers
• thyme↗3 sprigs of

  leaves picked

• Bramley apples↗2

  thickly sliced

• brandy↗2 tbsp tbsp

  or calvados

• dry cider↗800ml ml
• chicken or game stock↗300ml ml
• double cream↗70ml ml
• mace or ground nutmeg↗½ tsp tsp
• skinless roasted hazelnuts↗50g g

  roughly chopped

• sea salt↗1 tsp tsp
• caster sugar↗1 tsp tsp
• cider vinegar↗2 tbsp tbsp
• juniper berries2

  crushed

• Bramley apple↗½

  peeled, cubed

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   For the pickled apples, put the salt, sugar, vinegar and berries in a small pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, add the apple cubes and set aside.

2. 2

   Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed, high-sided casserole and season the pheasant joints with salt. Brown them all over, rendering out some of the yellow fat into the pan. Remove to a plate and season with pepper. Add the leeks, bacon and thyme to the pan along with a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper, and fry until the leeks have softened – about 8 mins. Add the apple slices and cook until starting to colour on both sides.

3. 3

   Spoon in the brandy and cook until evaporated, add the cider and simmer for a few more mins to cook off the alcohol. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and add the pheasant joints back to the pan, covering with a circle of baking parchment.

4. 4

   After 15 mins, remove the breasts from the pan to a plate and return the circle of baking parchment to the pan. Cook gently for a further 20 mins, then remove all the pheasant pieces from the pan to a plate and turn the heat up to reduce the sauce. Boil hard for a few min until reduced, then stir in the cream and mace and turn off the heat. Return the pheasant pieces to the sauce - the residual heat will warm it perfectly.

5. 5

   Divide the pheasant between plates and spoon over the sauce. Garnish with the pickled apples and hazelnuts. Serve with our celeriac colcannon.