Hot smoked pheasant with celeriac rémoulade, quince mustard and apple dressing

The meat will stay marvellously moist and take on a mellow smokiness, partnering nicely with the rich celeriac, tart mustard and sweet apple. Serve the pheasant either hot or cold. Serves 2.

Recipe for hot smoked pheasant

You will need

• 1 large roasting tin
• 1 medium wire rack (to sit flat inside the tin)
• 1 handful fine smoking woodchip, such as apple wood

Ingredients

Pheasant

• 4 pheasant breasts, skin on or off
• 150ml milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar

Rémoulade

• 1/2 celeriac, peeled and grated
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Quince mustard

• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp quince paste (membrillo)

Apple dressing

• 1/2 Braeburn apple, finely diced
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp runny honey
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Pheasant

Make the brine by combining the milk, salt and sugar. About 6 hours ahead of cooking, place the pheasant breasts in the brine and leave in the fridge to lightly cure. Remove half an hour before cooking.

Rémoulade, quince mustard and apple dressing

Mix all of the respective ingredients together well and set to one side.

To smoke

1. Put a handful of woodchips in a small pile in the centre of the roasting tin, making a little well in the middle to help airflow.
2. Remove the pheasant from the brine, lightly pat dry with kitchen paper then place on the wire rack.
3. Position the rack in the roasting tin and cover tightly with 2 layers of kitchen foil. Make sure that the foil is not touching the pheasant as it will leave an acrid taste on the meat.
4. Place over a high heat, directly on to the hob, and leave for a minimum of 6 minutes before checking. The meat should be pleasantly brown and just cooked.

To serve

Slice the smoked pheasant and serve with a little of the apple dressing alongside a good spoonful of the quince mustard and rémoulade.

Find more pheasant recipes here.