The challenge at Christmas is not buying enough food or getting the right presents (although this is part of it) it is managing people’s hopelessly romantic expectations. My advice is start early and concentrate on one room – of course you will have done the Christmas tree and covered everything with holly and ivy but really go for it in the dining room or wherever it is that you are eating. Get the silver out and get polishing. Making sure your eating experience is full of delights will create the perfect Christmas lunch. Old and bold, young and beautiful they will love you for all your hard work and thoughtful planning. And after all that, if anyone complains – never have them to Christmas Lunch again!
Happy Christmas x
Pheasant Stroganoff
This is a great dish for over the Christmas holidays as it is quick and easy to make just double for 8.
Serves 4
4 pheasant breasts cut into 6cm strips x 2cm wide or left whole cooking times will differ
1 medium sized onion, sliced very thinly
1tbsp flour
Knob of butter- 50g
1-2 tbsp sunflower oil
1tsp sweet smoked paprika
150ml white wine
2-3 tbsp Brandy
100ml double cream
100ml sour cream or crème fraiche
Maldon sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
You will need a large frying pan.
Heat up 1 tbsp of sunflower oil and half of the butter in the frying pan over a medium heat. Fry off the onions until they are soft and translucent. Add the paprika. Continue to cook for another minute. Add the wine and cook and reduce for 3 minutes- or until you only have 2 tablespoons of liquor left. (This can be done up to 6 hours in advance.) Remove the onions to a bowl and set a side.
Dust the pheasant breasts in flour – simply put the flour onto a plate and dip the pheasant into it shaking off the excess. Heat the remaining oil and butter in the same frying pan (no need to wash it) and fry off the pheasant. It will take 3 -4 minutes per side depending how big the breasts are. Make sure they are cooked all the way through. Remove them to a warm plate. Deglaze the pan with the brandy and set it alight. When the flames have gone add the onions and heat through again. Add the creams and season with salt and pepper. Taste. If the sauce is too thin carry on cooking it over a high heat to reduce. When it is ready add the pheasant breasts and stir so that they are coated with the sauce and serve with noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.
Tip:
Top of my Christmas present list is a new cheese every month form Neal’s Yard Dairy
www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk along with a fabulous brushed cotton shirt with ruffles from Purdey’s!
www.purdey.com my inner Sloane is re surfacing!
This article by Amy Willcock appears in The
Shooting Gazette December 2009, and is reproduced here with permission.
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