PHEASANT WITH PEAR & BAY
Ingredients – serves 4
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4 pheasant breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
4 rashers streaky wild boar bacon, sliced into 1cm pieces
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
2 firm british pears, cored and cut into 8 wedges.
2 tbsp local honey
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
300ml Organic chicken stock
2 large knobs butter
Method
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Take the pheasant out of the fridge and allow to come to room temp.
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Meanwhile, heat 1tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon, bay leaves and thyme and fry for approx. 5 minutes, stirring regularly until they are starting to colour.
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Push the lardons to one side of the pan and add the pear wedges. Caramelise for approx. 2 mins each side.
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Add the honey and apple cider vinegar to the pan and stir together the bacon and pear. Then add the stock, bring to the boil, and reduce for 5-10mins.
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In a separate frying pan, heat the remaining olive oil over a medium-high heat. Season the pheasant breasts all over with salt and pepper. Pan-fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden, then turn down the heat to medium, add the butter, and baste the breasts in it for a further 2 minutes.
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Remove the breasts from their pan to rest for 2 minutes before slicing. Add the butter and pheasant juices to the sauce and taste for seasoning.
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Serve the pheasant with seasonal vegetables, potatoes or beans, and a pour over a generous amount of sauce.