Pheasant is best with a simple glaze and hearty sauce.

Words and recipe: The Fish + Game Cookbook by Angelo Georgalli

Pheasants have been hunted for their stunning feathers and delicately flavoured meat since Roman times and remain a popular bird to bag the world over. It’s got a nice, almost smoky flavour that makes it great to eat with a simple glaze and good hearty sauce.

Tip: Baste the bird every 10 minutes to glaze the skin, allowing the bird to absorb all the flavours.

Bird:
1 whole pheasant
1 tsp sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 thumbs of ginger, sliced
1 red chilli, sliced
6 tbsp sweet soy sauce
4 pinches of Chinese five spice
Handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 pinch of sesame seeds

Rice:
1½ cups brown basmati rice
4 cups water for boiling
¼ cup orange blossom water (optional)

To serve:
Fresh chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp sesame seeds
Dehydrated persimmon (optional)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 150°C.

Lightly brush the whole bird with sesame seed oil and place into the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to rest. Turn the oven up to 160°C.

Once the bird has cooled, quarter the pheasant and place the sliced garlic, ginger and chilli on top of each quarter. Drizzle the sweet soy sauce over the bird and sprinkle a pinch of Chinese five spice over each quarter. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Baste the bird every 10 minutes by carefully spooning the juices over the meat.

While the bird roasts, rinse your rice with cold water to wash away any starch. In a saucepan bring the water to the boil, then add the rice and orange blossom water. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with fresh coriander and sesame seeds.

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The Fish + Game Cookbook by Angelo Georgalli, Beatnik Publishing, RRP $59.99, Beaknik Publishing. Photos: Sally Greer.