Pheasant Frikasse with Mushrooms and Pearl Onions

Ingredients

• 1 pheasant (ready-to-cook, about 1 kg)
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves of mace
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 bundle of mirepoix (about 250 g)
• 10 juniper berries
• 6 allspice berries
• Salt
• ground pepper
• 10 pearl onions
• 300 g forest mushrooms (as available)
• 40 g Butter
• 2 tbsp flour (coarsely packed)
• 100 ml dry white wine
• 150 ml Heavy Cream
• smooth parsley

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash the pheasant. Peel the onion, and pierce it with mace and bay leaves. Trim, wash, and chop the mirepoix. Cover the pheasant in a pot with cold water and bring to a gentle boil, skimming off any rising foam carefully. Once no more foam rises, add the mirepoix and the spiced onion, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add juniper berries and allspice. Simmer for about 30 minutes over low heat until the meat can be easily pierced at the legs and the liquid remains clear.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile, peel the pearl onions, clean and chop the mushrooms. Remove the cooked pheasant from the broth, let it cool slightly, then break into pieces. Strain the broth through a fine sieve.

3. 3.

   Heat butter in a pot, lightly brown the mushrooms. Let the pearl onions become translucent, then dust everything with flour. Deglaze with white wine and about 300 ml of the pheasant broth, stirring until it boils. Add cream and return the pheasant to the pot. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside the pheasant. Garnish with smooth parsley and serve from the pot.