Salmis of Pheasant

This is a classic recipe that I have adjusted to avoid the use of flour, which contains wheat. Wheat flour is normally used to thicken the sauce, but here I have used cornflour (cornstarch), which comes from maize. Use cornflour for thickening gravies and other sauces too. Remember it has twice the thickening ability of ordinary flour, so where a standard recipe states 25g (1oz /¼ cup) of flour use half that amount of cornflour. This is an ideal dish to choose when entertaining as the pheasant looks pleasantly brown and there is no last-minute carving to be done.

Ingredients	SERVES 4-6
METRIC (IMPERIAL)	AMERICAN
2 large pheasants, lightly roasted (see here)	2 large
900ml (1½ pints) water	3¾ cups
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 small bunch mixed herbs – parsley, thyme, rosemary and marjoram	1 small bunch
2 fresh bay leaves	2
3 medium shallots, roughly chopped	3
3 medium carrots, roughly chopped	3
100g (3½oz) button mushrooms	1 cup
½ teaspoon turmeric	½ teaspoon
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg	½ teaspoon
25g (1oz) cornflour	¼ cup
3 tablespoons sherry or port (not while on the strict diet) or water	3¾ tablespoons
To garnish
2 fresh pineapple rings	2

Method

1. Cut away the leg joints from the birds and halve them. Cut away the breast joints, making sure they are kept intact. If very large and plump these too can be halved.
2. Break the carcass into small pieces and place in a saucepan with the water and a little seasoning. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan and lower the heat.
3. Simmer for 45 minutes, then strain the liquid and return it to the pan.
4. Tie the herbs with cotton, so they can be removed easily, and put into the stock with the bay leaves, shallots, carrots, mushrooms, turmeric and nutmeg.
5. Simmer for 30 minutes; then remove the bunch of herbs and the bay leaves. Mix the cornflour with the sherry, port or water, add to the hot liquid and stir to make a smooth, slightly thickened sauce.
6. Spoon the sauce and vegetables into a liquidizer or food processor and process to a thin, smooth purée. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
7. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3 or 150°C for a fan (convection) oven.
8. Pour the sauce into a casserole and lay the pheasant joints in it. Cover and cook for 35–40 minutes. Do not overcook.
9. Cut away the skin and hard core from the pineapple rings. Dice the flesh and use to garnish the Salmis. Serve with a selection of vegetables. Mashed celeriac is a particularly good accompaniment.

Variation

Any game birds can be served in the same way.

Freezing

This particular dish is better not frozen.