ingredients
serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 oven-ready pheasants, each about 1 1/4 pound, cut in half and any lead shot removed
4 shallots, or 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
1/2 pound white cabbage, finely sliced
1/2 pound red cabbage, finely sliced
1 pound potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 level teaspoons paprika
6 juniper berries, crushed
About 1/4 pint dry red wine
1 pound tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices
Freshly ground black pepper
method
OVEN: Preheat to 180°C (350°F)
1. Heat the oil in a large, flameproof casserole and brown the pheasants in it on all sides over a fairly high heat. Lift the pheasants onto a plate.
2. Cook the shallots or onion in the casserole for 1 - 2 minutes. Mix in all the cabbage, the potatoes, paprika and juniper berries and pour on the wine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the apple slices and season with pepper. Lay the pheasant halves on top, pouring over any juices from the plate. Cover and cook in the heated oven for about 1 hour, or until the meat feels tender and there is no pink in the juice that seeps out when you push a fork into the thickest part of the thigh. Check from time to time that there is some liquid in the casserole and add a little more wine if necessary.
Give each diner some vegetables, apple and sauce with their meat. Leave the diners to remove the skin from their pheasant. The dish is complete as it is but offer some rolls for mopping up the delicious sauce.
more information
If the lid of your casserole does not fit very tightly, cover the dish with foil, crimped round the rim to fit snugly. The cabbage will burn on the base and spoil the flavor if all the liquid evaporates.
