-1 pheasant -1 orange, halved -Salt and pepper, to taste -2 slices of Ayrshire bacon -1 onion, chopped -4 carrots, peeled and chopped -2 cloves garlic, crushed -1 tsp. dried thyme or 1 tbsp. fresh thyme -1 litre chicken stock -450g. Lentils, soaked in water overnight, drained -1/2 cup double cream -1 cup chopped parsley
Instructions:
Heat oven to 180 C. Rub pheasant inside and out with orange halves. Sprinkle inside and out with salt & pepper. Roast in a roasting pan 45 minutes, basting occasionally with juices in bottom of pan.
Dice the bacon and sautT in a large stock pot until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. Add onion, carrots, garlic and thyme to drippings in pot. SautT until onion is soft, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the stock and heat to a simmer.
Remove skin from the pheasant. Add whole pheasant and lentils to the stock pot. Simmer 1 hour. Remove pheasant from the pot and let it cool.
Stir the cream into the soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Puree soup in batches, return to pot.
When pheasant is cool, remove meat from the bones. Shred into bite-sized pieces; add to stock pot along with reserved bacon. Heat soup slowly over low to medium heat. Stir in parsley. Serve.
