Pheasant A l‘orange with Blood Orange Glazed carrots and Blood Orange Jus
Ingredients:
2 (2 1/2 to 3 pound), innards removed-pheasants
1 bunch- washed-heirloom carrots
4 each- blood orange
10 oz. - veal demi-glaze
½ lb. at room temperature- butter
¼ lb. cold-butter
2 tbl- sugar
4 medium size, sliced, approximately ¼ cup-green onions
¼ tsp-pepper
1 tsp-salt
2 tbl-honey
½ cup- ½ cup orange liqueur
To taste- sherry vinegar
1. For filling: Zest all four oranges and reserve fruit. Mix zest with the green onions, butter, pepper, salt, and honey.
2. For the birds: Preheat an oven to 400F. Place pheasants, breast side up, in a roasting pan. Starting at the open side of the bird, gently separate skin from breast, using fingers. Spread butter filling on pheasant breast under skin. Lay the skin back down naturally. Roast pheasants until golden brown. Approximately 30 minutes. Once out of the oven, allow to rest, gently covered with aluminum foil to remain warm.
2. For the carrots: wash the carrots and place into a cold pan large enough for them to be in one single layer and not overlapping. Juice 2 of the blood oranges and add to the pan, with the cold butter and sugar. On medium heat, cook the carrots while covered until they are nicely tender. Remove lid and reduce the liquid in the pan to a thick glaze.
2. For the sauce: cut the other two blood oranges into segments, excluding any pith- reserve them. Bring veal glaze to the boil, and while doing this reduce the orange liqueur in a separate pot until syrupy. Add the veal glaze to the liqueur reduction and bring back to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until saucy. Season with salt and sherry vinegar to taste. Just before serving, stir in the blood orange segments.
Pair with:
2018 Rosé of Cabernet Franc &
2014 White Pebble Cabernet Sauvignon