Ingredients
Serve 6
2 fine young pheasants
salt and pepper, to taste
6 rashers of streaky bacon
For the gravy
5 tsp flour
50 g butter
600 ml-1 pint chicken stock
1 glass port or medium dry sherry
gravy browning (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 200° C Gas 6
1) place a knob of butter inside each bird with plenty of salt and pepper, truss the birds
2) remove the rind from the bacon, then lay over the breasts of the birds
3) put the birds in a roasting tin
4) melt the remaining butter , and brush the legs of the birds with a little butter
5) roast the birds for about 35 minutes, basting frequently with the juices and butter
6) remove the bacon, brush the breast with the cooking juices and sprinkle with 1 tsp flour over each birds
7) return to the oven for 10 minutes
8) remove the strings and place the birds on a warmed serving dish
9) keep 2 tbsp fat in the roasting tin and place the tin on top of the cooker
10) sprinkle the remaining flour into the fat, stir until blended, simmer until browned lightly, stirring frequently
11) stir in the stock, season to taste, bring to the boil, cook for 4 minutes, add a drop of gravy browning if you like dark gravy, scraping in all the dark bits stuck to the pan
12) stir in the port or sherry
To serve; garnish the birds with the bacon, and serve the gravy in a gravy boat.
