Pot RoastedPheasant with Cider

By Gillian Bell

Pheasant û (allow 1 bird for two hungrydiners)

Pinhead Oatmeal

Onion

Garlic

RamsayÆs AyrshireBacon

Fresh Thyme

Bay leaves

Seasoning

Cider

Cooking Apples

Make up a Skirliestuffing with your pinhead oatmeal, onion, garlic, bacon, seasoning, olive oiland some thyme.  If you don't have pinhead oatmeal - you could use cous cous, it absorbs theflavours beautifully.

Stuff you pheasants, season the birds welland wrap in bacon, then pop into a large casserole dish.  Then marinade incider with apples, onion a sprig of thyme, bay leaf and garlic for about 3 or 4hours (or less depending on your time). 

Then simply pop into a moderateover for about an hour to hour and a half.  Delicious.á

Serve with creamed potatoes, slow cooked redcabbage and greens with some Rowan berry jelly if you have some.

Beetroot & Tomato Soup

The remains of this dish make the mostamazing stock û in particular for beetroot and tomato soup û simply make astock with the ápheasants, an onion, stick of celery,carrot and bay leaf cover with water andû simmer for an hour.á

Sweat off some chopped onions with garlic;add 4 roughly chopped cooked beetroots, a tin of tomatoes,á the remains of the apples and vegetablesfrom your pheasant casserole, with a tsp of paprika, tsp of ground coriander,sprinkle of brown sugar.á Simmer gentlythen add your pheasant stock.á Cookgently for about 45 minutes then blend to make the most wonderful soup, a riotof colour as well as flavour.á Serve with a spoonful of crFme fresh and asprinkle of fresh thyme leaves.