PHEASANT PLATES RECIPES

Steps:

• Flatten pheasant breasts slightly with a mallet or rolling pin, then rub with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and season with black pepper.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat in a 9-inch skillet. When it foams, sear the pheasant, skin side down, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate, cover and keep warm.
• Steep the dried morels in 1/2 cup hot water for about 5 minutes. Drain and strain, reserving the soaking liquid. Discard stems and slice caps thinly.
• Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the skillet and saute the shallots for 2 minutes, until golden, then add the morels and mushrooms for 1 minute. Remove to a bowl and keep warm.
• Boil the reserved soaking liquid with the brandy and white wine until reduced by 1/2, about 1 minute, then whisk in the cream and demi-glace and boil about 1 minute, until sauce is thickened and smooth. Whisk in the remaining lemon juice and the cayenne.
• Place the pheasant breasts skin side up on hot serving plates and top each with half the mushroom mixture, then the sauce.
• Enclose each breast with (ideally) a glass cover. Alert your guests to the olfactory possibilities, so they don't blow the experience the way I did. Once they are seated and you have their attention, lift the cover and fan the essence toward them, if necessary.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Place each chicken breast between two pieces of cling film and, using a meat mallet, bash out the pieces until about 0.5cm/0.25in thick. Remove the cling film.
• Spread one tablespoon of cranberry sauce over each chicken breast. Place a piece of gorgonzola in the middle of each chicken breast, season and roll up the chicken to enclose the cheese.
• Place six slices of pancetta, side by side, on a chopping board. Place one chicken breast on the pancetta slices and tightly wrap pancetta around the chicken. Repeat with the remaining chicken and pancetta slices.
• Place the chicken breasts on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and cook in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted.
• Meanwhile, blanch the green beans for a few minutes in boiling water and then refresh in iced water.
• Toss the beans with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide the bean salad between four plates. Top with the cooked chicken and serve at once.