Hellenic Pheasant
Serves 2 | Preparation ~30 min
Instructions / Pheasant
Set the grill/broil resistor of the oven to 250°C (480°F, gas mark 9). Remove the possible silverskin and all sinews/tendons from the pheasant fillets. (The pieces fall easily apart - it doesn’t matter). Cut the fillets into 2-3 longitudinal pieces and pummel them as thin as you can with a meat mallet between gladwrap or in a plastic bag. Form a solid rectangular shape from the pieces on top of foil. Grind the pistachios into powder in a blender or mixer. Take 3 teaspoons to the side for later use. Peel the cucumber and grate the lemon zest. Add the cucumber peel, yoghurt, shallot, garlic, lemon zest, dried herbs and other seasonings in the blender and mix until the texture is smooth. Pour the sauce on top of the pounded pheasant, roll the meat gently into a loose bundle and wrap the meat and runny sauce into double layer foil. Place the bundle on top of a ”tray” made of foil and cook in the upper part of the oven for 12-15 minutes. Turn and cook for another 12-15 minutes (total cooking time 24-30 min).
Mix the dill, pistachio powder, evoo, salt and peppers in a blender/mixer until smooth. Crumble the feta cheese and cut the cucumber into thin slivers/splinters or make spaghetti strands with a vegetable peeler. Dose the pheasant and the tzatziki type sauce on two plates. Add the crumbled feta and cucumber and drizzle with pistachio-dill oil. Serve with e.g. rosé wine or lemonade.
Serves 2 | Preparation ~30 min
Ingredients / Oven-cooked pheasant
210-220 g pheasant fillets (2 pcs); (mine were frozen, imported from the UK and thawn overnight in the fridge)
50 g (~95 ml) unsalted, peeled pistachios
150 g (~150 ml) natural (unsweetened) yoghurt
1 shallot
Peel of 1 medium-sized cucumber
3 cloves of garlic
Zest of 1 lemon
2-3 tablespoons evoo
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dried mint
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
A pinch of black pepper
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon (low-sodium) salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Instructions / Pheasant
Set the grill/broil resistor of the oven to 250°C (480°F, gas mark 9). Remove the possible silverskin and all sinews/tendons from the pheasant fillets. (The pieces fall easily apart - it doesn’t matter). Cut the fillets into 2-3 longitudinal pieces and pummel them as thin as you can with a meat mallet between gladwrap or in a plastic bag. Form a solid rectangular shape from the pieces on top of foil. Grind the pistachios into powder in a blender or mixer. Take 3 teaspoons to the side for later use. Peel the cucumber and grate the lemon zest. Add the cucumber peel, yoghurt, shallot, garlic, lemon zest, dried herbs and other seasonings in the blender and mix until the texture is smooth. Pour the sauce on top of the pounded pheasant, roll the meat gently into a loose bundle and wrap the meat and runny sauce into double layer foil. Place the bundle on top of a ”tray” made of foil and cook in the upper part of the oven for 12-15 minutes. Turn and cook for another 12-15 minutes (total cooking time 24-30 min).
Ingredients / Pistachio-Dill Oil and Accompaniments
30 g (a big handful) of fresh dill
3 teaspoons pistachio powder
5-6 tablespoons evoo
1/2 – 3/4 teaspoon (low-sodium) salt
A pinch of white pepper
A pinch of black pepper
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100 g feta cheese
1 peeled cucumber
Instructions / Pistachio-Dill Oil and AccompanimentsMix the dill, pistachio powder, evoo, salt and peppers in a blender/mixer until smooth. Crumble the feta cheese and cut the cucumber into thin slivers/splinters or make spaghetti strands with a vegetable peeler. Dose the pheasant and the tzatziki type sauce on two plates. Add the crumbled feta and cucumber and drizzle with pistachio-dill oil. Serve with e.g. rosé wine or lemonade.
