Monday, December 7

fire/flood/pheasant insurance -or do you eat road kill

Guest post time. Direct email from Oma [mütter] regarding rural driving;
Incident 1. Driving round the bend en route to Peebles [in the Scottish Borders -ed.] just before Neidpath Castle, hit a pheasant and this resulted in the one cooked as recipe below. Remember; you should open the boot [car trunk -ed.] carefully when getting home as the bird may fly out as only stunned! But this one was stone cold deed.

Incedent 2. Driving the long straight to Stobo Castle back to Broughton and hit one... which then became embedded in the front grill of the Saab -had to get out and stand in the road tugging away to release the bird. Not sure if that one made it to the pot... [grilled??? ouch! -ed.]


Recipe from memory.
Sear pheasant breasts in heavy frying pan until nicely browned.
In a heavy casserole pot -place trimmed celery sticks and put breasts on top.
You can use any other vegetables you like of course -mushrooms/carrots etc.
Heat gin in a ladle (silver is good!); ignite and pour over.
Ladle in some good stock and juniper berries and cook over low heat until tender.
Serve with fluffy mashed potatoes to soak up all the gamey juices.

P.S. Picked our berries up on the hill but beware the double hit with the gin!!