Pheasant with red cabbage and wild rice
6 servings
180 minutes
Pheasant with red cabbage and wild rice is an exquisite dish of French cuisine that combines depth of flavor and harmony of textures. Historically, pheasant was a symbol of France's hunting traditions and appeared on the banquet tables of the nobility. In this recipe, it gains a rich aroma from spices, wine, and rosemary, while crispy bacon and sweet-sour grape sauce add complexity. The wild rice and red cabbage garnish highlights the richness of the dish's flavor: rice adds an earthy note, while cabbage brings a slight tanginess. This dish is perfect for special occasions where one wants to blend gastronomic luxury with the comfort of home cooking.
1
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees, warm the broth.
2
In a pot, fry the rice in oil for a minute, stirring, over high heat, then pour in hot broth, add salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and bake covered in the oven until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Wild rice: 120 g
- Olive oil: 2.5 tablespoons
- Chicken broth: 240 ml
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
- Black peppercorns: 0.3 teaspoon
3
While the rice is cooking, fry the bacon in a pan until crispy and place it on paper towels to drain the fat. Leave a tablespoon of fat for preparing the pheasant.
- Bacon: 4 pieces
4
Increase the temperature and fry the onion and cabbage in the remaining fat, stirring, until soft. Add vinegar, salt, and pepper, and fry for another minute. Chop the bacon. Mix the cabbage with the bacon and rice.
- Onion: 1 head
- Red cabbage: 500 g
- Red wine vinegar: 2 teaspoons
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
- Black peppercorns: 0.3 teaspoon
5
Wash the pheasant under cold water and dry it. Cut into six parts, then pour water over the remaining wings, neck, and carcass, add bay leaf, and simmer uncovered for twenty minutes. Strain the broth.
- Pheasant: 1 piece
- Bay leaf: 1 piece
6
Coat the pheasant with a mixture of salt, black and allspice. Heat oil with one tablespoon of remaining fat and fry until golden brown, about five minutes on each side.
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
- Black peppercorns: 0.3 teaspoon
- Ground allspice: 0.3 teaspoon
- Olive oil: 2.5 tablespoons
7
In the remaining fat, lightly sauté the raisins and shallots. Add gin and boil until most of it evaporates. Then pour in the wine and cook until the liquid volume is reduced by about half. Add broth, tomato paste, rosemary sprigs, salt, pepper and bring the sauce to a boil.
- Raisin: 60 g
- Shallots: 3 heads
- Gin: 0.3 glass
- Dry white wine: 0.5 glass
- Chicken broth: 240 ml
- Tomato paste: 1 teaspoon
- Rosemary: 0.5 teaspoon
- Salt: 0.5 teaspoon
- Black peppercorns: 0.3 teaspoon
8
Add the pheasant and braise in the oven covered for ten minutes. Remove the breast and keep it warm under a lid. Braise the legs and thighs for another ten minutes. For the sauce, mix rosemary with grapes and boil for about a minute.
- Pheasant: 1 piece
- Freshly chopped rosemary: 0.5 teaspoon
- Green seedless grapes: 120 g
9
Divide the pheasant onto two plates, dress with sauce, and serve with a mixture of red cabbage and wild rice.