Thanks to Bacchus Restaurant, Blenheim

Ingredients
2 pheasant carcasses
1 large brown onion
1 carrot
1 leek
½ bunch celery
1 tsp cracked black pepper
2 bay leaves
4 twigs of fresh thyme
2 cloves
1 piece of mace

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Put the carcasses in for 30 minutes until nicely browned. Take out of baking tray, put in large pot, add 4 litres of cold water and bring to the boil.

In the meantime chop all the vegetables except the onion into small chunks. Chop the onions in half and blacken the “ flesh” side in a hot frying pan. This will give the stock a nice brown colour. Skim all the fat off your pheasant pot. Remember NEVER boil a broth; keep it under 100 degrees as you want it to be as clear as possible. If you boil it your broth will never be nice and clear. When almost to the boil add your chopped green and herbs (bouquet) and the onion. Simmer for about 4 hours, then remove from the stove and strain the broth. Bring back to the boil and check for seasoning.

Add your favourite ingredients. These can be chopped fresh herbs, chicken strips, mushrooms, meatballs. You can add whatever you want to make it your own soup. I’ve added some seasoned whipped cream to create a cappuccino effect.

Thanks to Fantail Lodge for this recipe

Ingredients
1.5 kg coarsely diced pheasant meat
1 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon
200 grams of julienned belly bacon
100 ml cream
2 nips cognac/brandy
30 gram chilled roux
Thyme/rosemary
4 cloves
4 bay leaves
Cinnamon quill
2 large carrots
100 ml Vinegar
150 grams tomato paste
200 grams mushrooms
10 Peppercorns
100ml red wine vinegar
2 medium Onions
Clarified butter or oil
Sheet of puff pastry

The Marinade
Cut 1 carrot and 1 medium onion in cubes and combine with the red wine, a few branches of thyme and rosemary, 4 cloves, 2 bay leaves, 50ml vinegar and 10 black peppercorns. Bring slowly to boil and let cool down. Add meat and leave to marinade for at least 24 hours. (The longer the meat is marinated, the stronger the flavour of the marinade. If you marinate the meat for too long and you will lose the meat flavour.)

The Filling
Take the meat out of the marinade and dry. Set the marinade to one side. Heat the clarified butter or oil and evenly brown the meat. Remove meat from the pan and brown the brunoise made up of cubed carrot, bacon and onion. Halfway through this process add two bay leaves and the tomato paste which should start browning on the edges at about the same time as the vegetables and bacon. Add the cognac/brandy and flame to remove the alcohol. Add the cinnamon quill, quartered mushrooms and meat to the casserole and pour on as much marinade as it takes to cover the meat.

Cook on a slow heat for one to one and a half hours. Check occasionally. If the cinnamon becomes too overpowering, remove it. After this time, the jus will have thickened considerably but, if necessary, thicken with a little chilled roux. Season to taste. Ideally let rest for at least a day before making the pastry lid and baking.

The Pastry Lid
Cut the pastry with round cutters, brush with egg wash and bake at 180C. Make sure you don’t put pressure on the edges as the pastry will bake on a lean. (For those who feel puff pastry is too heavy try layered filo pastry, which is much lighter and has a similar effect.)

To Serve
Heat the pie filling and serve it in either an individual dish with the pastry lid on top, or on a plate with the pastry set on top.

Variations
There can be many variations to this dish. Try adding chestnuts or silver skin onions. This dish is lovely with kumara mash, winter vegetables and poached fruits/compote.