* Exported from MasterCook * TAWNY ROASTED PHEASANTS Recipe By : Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Wild game Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 Pheasants, about 2 1/2 lb ea 2 Oranges -- halved 1/4 c Olive oil Salt to taste Pepper to taste 8 Sprigs flat-leaf parsley 4 Garlic cloves -- peeled and -bruised 2 Bay leaves 12 sl Bacon 1/2 c Defatted chicken broth 1/4 c Tawny port Autumn Pear Salsa (see -separate recipe) When cooking pheasant or any wild game birds, I always squeeze an orange or two in the cavity and on the outside to refresh the bird before cooking. As the meat is very lean, it's necessary to cover the breast with bacon to add extra moisture during roasting. Basting with liquid from the pan also is essential. - Shiela Lukins 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Rinse the pheasants, cleaning the cavities well. Remove any excess fat. Pat dry. 3. Squeeze the oranges all over the birds and inside the cavities. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Place 4 sprigs of parsley, 2 cloves of garlic and a bay leaf in each cavity. 4. Place the birds in a shallow roasting pan to fit. Arrange 6 slices of bacon over each pheasant. Add the chicken broth and the port to the pan. 5. Bake for 1 1/2 hours (remove the bacon after an hour), basting two or three times. Then bake 15-20 minutes longer or until the breasts are brown and the birds are cooked through. (The juices should run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is tested with the tip of a knife.) Let rest 10 minutes. Carve and serve with Autumn Pear Salsa. Per serving (without skin): 448 calories, 20 grams fat, 165 milligrams cholesterol. From the MM database of Judi M. Phelps. jphelps@shell.portal.com or jphelps@best.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -