Pheasant (Gamebird) Pot Pie
This will make enough for two pies in a regular size pie dish.
Breasts from 2-3 pheasants, or mix of gamebirds (preferably light meat)
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
½ - 1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into large bite-sized pieces (or 3-4 Yukon Gold potatoes)
1 medium onion diced, or ½ cup pearl onions, blanched (or 3-4 leeks sliced into ¼ inch slices)
1 cup fresh spinach leaves, packed
6-8 ounces mushrooms sliced thickly, wild mushrooms preferred (or 1 oz. dried morels or other, reconstituted and soaking liquid)
2-3 carrots peeled and sliced thickly
½ - 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
6 slices of bacon
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 teaspoons arrow root
1-2 cups Madeira (white wine or sherry can be substituted)
Juice from ½ orange
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 egg, lightly beaten
2-3 teaspoons paprika
2-3 teaspoons cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ - 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1-2 tablespoons additional fresh herbs, your choice (rosemary, sage, parsley, oregano etc.)
2 premade or homemade pie crust (see recipe below)
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Rinse the pheasants well, pat dry with a paper towel, and cover with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth in a medium saucepan with the two bay leaves until boiling. Add the potatoes or squash and cook until nearly finished but not cooked through, approximately 15 minutes. When the squash/potatoes are done, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the carrots to the broth and cook just until tender. Remove the carrots and set aside in a bowl. Discard the bay leaves and let the broth stand.
Meanwhile, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. When hot, sauté the onions until translucent. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add a bit more olive oil to the pan and sauté the mushrooms. You do not need to cook them all the way through. If you are using reconstituted mushrooms, skip this step. Instead, add the water that you used to reconstitute the mushrooms to the broth and set the mushrooms aside.
In the same pan, cook the 6 slices of bacon until lightly crisp. Add the gamebird breasts to the pan and turn browning the meat on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side, until seared but not cooked through (less time for the tenderloins). Remove promptly to a platter keeping in mind the meat will continue to cook a bit as it rests. When cool, cut the meat into cubes.
Put the broth from cooking the vegetables over medium heat. Add another cup of stock and heat. Add the arrow root, a little at a time, to the broth whisking continually until it begins to thicken. Add the Madeira and orange juice. You need to have a total of at least 3 cups of liquid. Add more broth if needed – this may require you to add a bit more arrow root. Add the mustard and salt and pepper to taste.
Mix all the vegetables (squash/potatoes, carrots, peas, spinach, onions) and meat in a bowl. Add the fresh herbs, cumin and paprika. Mix well. Mound the mixture into a pie dish and pour the sauce over the top and assist its flowing into the contents with a spoon.
Cover the top with the pie crust. Crimp the edges and cut vents into the crust. Brush with a lightly beaten egg. Bake 375°, until the crust is lightly browned and its contents are bubbly, about 20-25 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Pie Crust
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons distilled vinegar
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed (For dairy free substitute Melt of other substitute)
½ - 1/3 cup ice water
Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, food processor, or two forks cut the butter into the dry ingredients until all flour is coated. You’re looking for pea-sized bits of flour coated butter. A few larger bits of butter is OK.
Measure ½ cup of water in a cup. Add ice. Drizzle the cold water in, 2 Tablespoons at a time, and mix after each addition. Stop adding water when the dough comes together easily and begins to form large clumps. The dough will feel moist and a little sticky, but not overly wet. Do not add any more water than you need to.
Place pie dough on a lightly floured work surface. Using floured hands, gather the dough into a large mass. If making single-crust or regular double-crust pies, divide the dough in half to form 2 disks. Using your hands, flatten each half into a 1-inch thick disc.
Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days before using in a pie recipe.
Proceed with the pie per your recipe’s instructions.