Pheasant with Kalamata Olive Sauce
4 Pheasants cleaned and prepared
Marinade
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2 cup Zinfandel
3 large Shallots sliced very thinly
5 Garlic cloves sliced thinly
1/2 bunch Fresh thyme
3 Bay leaves
1 tbsp Juniper berries
Kalamata Olive Sauce
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The Bones from the pheasants
4 tbsp of good Olive oil
1 large unpeeled onions quartered
1 Head of garlic
Two bottles Zinfandel wine
3 qt Strong chicken stock
6 oz pitted Kalamata Olives
3 plum tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
De-Bone the pheasants as follows:
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Cut down both sides of the ridge along the breastbone of the pheasant with a boning knife.
Make sure to scrape the knife down the side of the breast bone and the rib cage to ensure that you remove all of the meat from the bones.
Leave wings attached.
Cut the skin between the knee and top of the breast. Push the skin around to the small of the back and force the knee down.
You will see the small ball joint where the leg-thigh meets the small of the back.
Cut through the knee joint and run the tip of your knife along both sides of remaining thigh bone.
Then pull the bone away from the meat. This will leave you a square shaped boneless thigh portion with the skin-on and a skin-on boneless breast with wing still attached.
Save the bones to make the sauce.
Marinade Pheasant:
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Mix marinade ingredients and pour into a large zip lock bag.
Add the pheasant pieces and marinate 2 to 3 hours.
To make the Kalamata Olive sauce:
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Crack the bones your saved earlier with the blunt edge of a heavy kitchen knife or clever.
Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot.
Add bones and brown making sure to stir often for 10 minutes so they don’t burn.
Add onions and garlic and cook approximately 10 minutes longer, until onions and garlic have caramelized, and the bones have browned completely.
Drain any excess oil from pot and add the bottles of Zinfandel
Stir to dislodge any fond (brown bits) from bottom of pot completely.
Reduce the heat to medium and reduce the sauce until it becomes syrupy.
Add chicken stock and bring the sauce back to a boil.
Cook again until the sauce has reduced to about 3 or 4 cups.
Strain to remove the bones and the onions and garlic.
The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
When ready to serve, reheat sauce and add the Kalamata olives and chopped tomatoes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cook Pheasant:
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Remove the pheasant from marinade and wipe off any excess solids that may be on the meat.
Pat the meat dry with a paper towel.
Season the pieces of pheasant with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in an oven proof pan.
Sear meat skin side down until golden. Turn over and repeat.
Once browned on both sides and the skin is crispy, move the pan to a 400 degrees F. oven for about 10 to 12 min.
The breast meat will finish first and should feel tender and plump to the touch.
The thigh meat will take an extra few minuets and should be allowed to cook throughly before removing from oven.
Makes: 1 breast and 1 thigh portion per person.
To serve: Drizzle olive sauce over meat.
Print This PostTags: Kalamata Oilves, Pheasant, Sauce
