Roast Pheasant With Morels Recipes

EMERIL'S FAVORITE ROAST PHEASANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
• Season the cavities and the outside of each pheasant liberally with salt and pepper. Divide the chopped onion and carrot equally among the cavities of the pheasants. Squeeze the juice from both halves of the orange and set aside. Cut 1 of the squeezed halves into 3 pieces, and tuck inside of the cavities along with the veggies. Insert 1sprig of thyme into the cavity of each pheasant.
• Arrange the pheasants in a large roasting pan, breast sides up. Lay 2 strips of bacon over the top of each pheasant, cutting the bacon into pieces if necessary to cover as much of the pheasant as possible. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove the bacon strips and continue roasting for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, or until the juices run clear. (It is important to not overcook the pheasants, as they are very lean birds.) Remove the pheasants from the oven and transfer to a serving platter, loosely tented, while you make the sauce.
• Using a spoon, carefully remove as much extra fat from the pan as possible. Place the roasting pan over high heat and, when hot, deglaze with the reserved orange juice and Madeira, using a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the orange juice and Madeira have reduced by half, add the chicken stock and continue to cook until sauce has reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 to 4 minutes. Swirl in the butter and remove from the heat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Remove the back bone from each pheasant, then cut along the breast bone to divide the birds into two halves. Serve 1/2 pheasant per person, napped with some of the sauce and with some of the Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding.
• Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the onions and cook until golden brown and tender, 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the Essence, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 3/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender and have given off their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the beer and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan and until the mixture is almost dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, cream, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of Essence, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and whisk well to combine. Add the mushroom mixture and cheeses and stir well. Add the bread cubes and let sit until the bread has absorbed the liquid, 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with the butter. Add the bread crumbs, shaking to cover the bottom evenly. Pour the bread pudding mixture into the prepared pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour and uncover. Continue baking until risen and firm in the center, and golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

ROASTED PRAWNS WITH MORELS AND MOREL BUTTER

Steps:

• Finely chop enough fresh morels or reconstituted morels to measure 1/2 cup (packed); reserve remaining morels. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup shallots and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add chopped morels and thyme; sauté 2 minutes. If using dried morels, add reserved soaking liquid to skillet, leaving any sediment behind. Increase heat; boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Transfer morel mixture to small bowl; cool. Mix remaining 7 tablespoons butter into morel mixture. Season lightly with salt and pepper. (Morel butter can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Using scissors, cut along back shell of each prawn all the way up to tail, exposing vein; pull out vein. Turn prawns over. Using small sharp knife and starting just below tail end, butterfly each prawn by cutting 1/4-inch-deep slit to opposite end. Place prawns, shell side down, on rimmed baking sheet. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Preheat oven to 500°F. Melt 2 tablespoons morel butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1/2 cup shallots; sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Add remaining whole fresh morels or reconstituted morels and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, spread 1 teaspoon morel butter over each giant prawn (or 1/4 teaspoon over each of 24 large prawns). Roast just until prawns are opaque in center, about 7 minutes for giant prawns or 4 minutes for large prawns. Top prawns with remaining morel butter, dividing equally. Return to oven just long enough to melt butter slightly, about 10 seconds.
• Transfer prawns to plates. Serve sautéed morels alongside.
• *If using dried morels: Bring 3 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add dried morels. Remove from heat. Cover; let steep 1 hour. Using slotted spoon, transfer morels to bowl. Reserve soaking liquid.

ROAST PHEASANT

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Stir the chopped rosemary and thyme into the olive oil and set aside. Rub the pheasant inside and out with salt and pepper. Place into a close-fitting roasting pan. Pour the herb oil over top.
• Bake the pheasant in the preheated oven for 1 hour, then cover with aluminum foil, and continue baking an additional hour, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone reads 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing. Baste the pheasant with the hot oil and juices from the pan every 30 minutes while cooking.

ROAST PHEASANT WITH MORELS

Steps:

• Two days in advance, place the unwrapped pheasant on a rack in the refrigerator with a plate underneath. Allow to air-dry, turning occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. If they are gritty, rinse the morels quickly under running water and dry with paper towels. Slice the tops and stems. Soften the shallots in one tablespoon of butter in a skillet and add the morels. Cook over high heat until the liquid evaporates. Chop the liver and heart and briefly saute. Set aside.
• Insert the remaining butter and the tarragon under the pheasant breast skin, distributing it as evenly as possible. Fill the cavity with the morel mixture, season to taste and truss.
• Place the pheasant on its side in a roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes, basting when you do so. Turn on the other side and roast a further 10 minutes. Then turn the pheasant breast up and finish cooking until it is tender, about 45 minutes to an hour.
• Place the pheasant on a warm serving dish. Skim the fat from the roasting juices and add the stock. Bring to boil and simmer until reduced by half. Meanwhile, remove the morels from the pheasant cavity. Add them to the stock and simmer for 30 seconds. Pour into a heated sauce boat and serve separately.