4 delicious and easy pheasant recipes

4 recipes for pheasant that are easy to make and absolutely delicious! From sub editor and game cooking guru Laura Paton

Oven-baked pheasant, pea and pancetta risotto

? 4 skinless pheasant breasts, cut into strips

? 2 tbsp olive oil

? 250g arborio rice

? 1 onion, finely chopped

? 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

? 200g frozen peas, defrosted

? 220g smoked pancetta lardons

? 750ml hot chicken stock

? 35g parmesan, finely grated

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Place a large casserole dish in the oven.

2 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.

3. Fry pheasant strips until golden and cooked through. Remove from pan.

4. Add pancetta and fry until crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

5. Fry onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until soft.

6. Return pancetta to pan along with rice and stir until well combined. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring regularly.

7. Pour in stock and bring to the boil.

8. Tip rice mixture into pre-heated dish. Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Add pheasant and peas and bake uncovered for 3-4 minutes.

9. Stir in parmesan and season.

Pheasant goujons with herb and garlic dip

? 4 skinless pheasant breasts, cut into strips

? 1 garlic clove, crushed

? small handful of mixed herbs, finely chopped (I used chives, parsley and mint)

? squeeze of lemon juice

? 4 tbsp crème fraiche

? 2 tbsp olive oil

? 3 tbsp plain flour, seasoned

? 2 eggs, lightly beaten

? 100g breadcrumbs

1. Mix together garlic, herbs, lemon juice and crème fraiche. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in large frying pan.

3. Put flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs into separate bowls.

4. Dust each pheasant strip in flour, shaking off excess.

5. Once coated in flour, dip each one in egg.

6. Lastly, coat each one in breadcrumbs.

7. Fry pheasant strips until crisp, golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper. (You may need to do this in batches, adding more oil if required.)

8. Serve with herb and garlic dip.

Pheasant and mushrooms on toast

? 4 pheasant breasts

? 2 tbsp olive oil

? butter

? 400g mixed mushrooms, quartered

? few thyme sprigs

? 8 slices of sourdough bread

? 1 garlic clove, halved

? extra virgin olive oil

? 4 tbsp parsley, roughly chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil and a knob of butter in an ovenproof frying pan.

3. Brown pheasant breasts on each side. Place in oven for 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from pan and keep warm.

4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Tip in mushrooms and thyme. Fry for a few minutes, stirring regularly, until mushrooms are soft. Stir in knob of butter.

5. Meanwhile, toast bread. Rub each slice with cut side of garlic clove. Drizzle with olive oil. Top each slice with mushrooms, a few slices of pheasant breast and a sprinkling of chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Spanish-style pheasant stew with paprika and olives

? 2 whole pheasants

? 4 tbsp flour, seasoned

? olive oil

? 1 red onion, chopped

? 2 carrots, chopped

? 2 sticks of celery, chopped

? 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

? 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced

? 1 tbsp smoked paprika

? 200ml chicken stock

? 400g tin chopped tomatoes

? few thyme sprigs

? handful pitted olives

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Joint each pheasant into 8 pieces: cut legs off, chop in half at knee; cut breasts and wings off in one piece, chop in half. Dust in flour.

3. Heat oil in large, ovenproof casserole dish. Brown pheasant, remove from pan.

4. Fry onions until soft. Add carrot and celery and fry for 5 minutes.

5. Add garlic, pepper and paprika and fry for 1 minute.

6. Return pheasant to pan. Add stock, chopped tomatoes and thyme.

7. Bring to the boil then cover and place in oven for 50 minutes, or until meat is tender. Stir in olives and season.