Name: Red wine-braised pheasant with polenta
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 60 ml olive oil (¼ cup); 4 pheasant marylands (see note); 1 onion, coarsely chopped; 4 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised; 80 gm piece flat pancetta, coarsely chopped; 3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped; 3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped; 20 gm dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes; 1 sprig rosemary; 2 bay leaves; 750 ml dry red wine; 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar; Polenta; 800 ml milk; 300 gm yellow polenta; 160 gm parmesan, finely grated; 60 gm butter

Ingredients

60 ml olive oil (¼ cup)

4 pheasant marylands (see note)

1 onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised

80 gm piece flat pancetta, coarsely chopped

3 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

3 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

20 gm dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes

1 sprig rosemary

2 bay leaves

750 ml dry red wine

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Polenta

800 ml milk

300 gm yellow polenta

160 gm parmesan, finely grated

60 gm butter

Method

Main

1.Heat olive oil in a large heavy-based casserole dish, add pheasant in batches, and cook over high heat, turning occasionally, for 6 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate. Add onion, garlic and pancetta and sauté for 6 minutes or until onion is soft, add celery and carrot and sauté for a further 3 minutes, then return pheasant to the pan. Add porcini and soaking liquid, herbs and red wine, bring to the boil, cover and roast at 150C for 3 hours. Stir through balsamic vinegar.

2.For polenta, bring milk and 1 litre of water to the boil in a large saucepan and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add polenta in a thin stream, whisking continuously. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally using a wooden spoon and adding more water as needed, for 1½ hours or until smooth and creamy. Stir through parmesan and butter, season to taste and keep warm until required.

3.To serve, spoon polenta among plates and top with braised pheasant.