Wild Scottish Pheasant Pithivier

Yield 6
RECIPE Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 1 Wild Scottish Pheasant
  • 3 1/2 ounces chicken livers
  • 9 ounces Foie Gras Cubes
  • 9 ounces pork jowl
  • 1/2 ounce brandy
  • 1/2 ounce salt
  • 1/4 ounce peppercorns
  • 4 Wild Scottish Pheasant breasts, cut into a total of 12 pieces
  • 12 pieces puff pastry, cut using a 4-inch ring mold
  • 1 egg, whisked
Recipe notes
This classic French meat pie recipe - called pithiviers - has ground wild Scottish pheasant, chicken liver, foie gras, and pork jowl as a filling.
RECIPE Preparation
  1. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook until softened. Set aside in a mixing bowl.
  2. Leaving the skin intact, debone and remove the cartilage from whole pheasant. Grind the pheasant, chicken livers, foie gras and pork jowl, using a 1/4-inch die, then place in the mixing bowl with the shallots. Add the brandy, salt, and peppercorns, and mix well.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the 4-inch circles of puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place about 1 1/2 ounces of the stuffing in the center of the dough. Place the pheasant breast on top of the stuffing. Cover the pheasant breast with another 1 1/2 ounces of the stuffing, covering the breast meat completely. Brush any visible dough with the egg wash. Place the 6-inch circles of puff pastry over the stuffing, pressing down. Using the 4-inch ring mold, cut off any excess dough from the pithivier. Brush the top of the pithivier with the egg wash and bake for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 2 minutes before serving.