SWEET PHEASANT WITH CRANBERRY JEWELS

SERVES 4

This lavish meal was considered to be a regular lunch in the Capitol, but the catching of a pheasant back in District 12 would have been cause for celebration.

If you can’t find pheasant in your local grocery or in the wild, call around to local game meat dealers or order one online. They make a great meal for special occasions.

2 SPRIGS ROSEMARY, LEAVES STRIPPED AND CHOPPED

1 TABLESPOON FRESH THYME, CHOPPED

1 CUP OLIVE OIL

1 WHOLE PHEASANT, CLEANED

SALT AND GROUND BLACK PEPPER TO TASTE

1 CAN CRANBERRY SAUCE (WITHOUT THE BERRIES)

PHEASANT:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Stir the chopped rosemary and thyme into the olive oil and set aside.

Clean the pheasant. Rub the pheasant inside and out with salt and pepper.

Place into a roasting pan then pour olive oil and herb mixture over it.

Bake for 1 hour, then cover with aluminum foil and continue baking an additional hour.

Baste the pheasant with pan juices every 30 minutes while cooking.

Remove from the oven, cover with a sheet of aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

CRANBERRY JEWELS:

Thickly slice the cranberry sauce and use cookie cutters or cut diamond and circle shapes with a knife. Discard the leftovers and decorate a serving dish with the jewel-shaped cutouts.

Serve with Baby Vegetables in Lemon Butter Sauce.