Pheasant & wild rice casserole

Pheasant & wild rice casserole

serves 6

ingredients

400g/14oz pheasant, diced 250g/9oz wild rice 225g/8oz mushrooms, sliced 75g/3oz butter

1 onion, chopped 50g/2oz plain flour 300ml/10fl oz chicken stock 300ml/10fl oz milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

50g/2oz slivered almonds, toasted salt and freshly ground black pepper

•Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

•Poach the pheasant in simmering water for 1 hour or until tender.

•Prepare the rice according to the packet instructions.

•Sauté the mushrooms in half of the butter, then remove from the pan and reserve. Sauté the onion in the remaining butter until softened. Remove from the heat, and stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually stir the stock into the flour mixture, then add the milk. Return to the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thick.

•Add the rice, mushrooms, pheasant and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish, and sprinkle with the almonds. Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes. Serve hot.

Liver & macaroni casserole

serves 4

ingredients

350g/12oz pigs’ livers,

400g/14oz canned chopped

thinly sliced

plum tomatoes

25g/1oz butter

2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

2 onions, thinly sliced

100g/4oz macaroni

3 tablespoons plain flour

salt and freshly ground

150ml/5fl oz chicken stock

black pepper

•Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

•Brown the liver in half the butter in a flameproof casserole dish for

1 minute on each side. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon.

•Add the remaining butter, and sauté the onions for 3 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Blend in the stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, stirring, for 1 minute.

•Return the liver to the pan and add the sage and a little salt and pepper. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour.

•Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain. Stir into the casserole. Serve hot.

Liver hotpot

serves 6

ingredients

500g/1lb 2oz lamb’s liver 25g/1oz plain flour

2 large onions, thinly sliced 850g/13/4lb potatoes,

thinly sliced

500ml/18fl oz lamb stock 6 rashers streaky bacon salt and freshly ground

black pepper.

•Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Lightly grease a large casserole dish.Remove the skin and tubes from the liver. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge each slice of liver in the seasoned flour.

•Arrange layers of liver, onion and potatoes in the casserole dish, ending with a neat layer of potatoes. Heat the stock and pour in just enough to cover the potatoes. Cover the casserole dish and bake for about 1 hour until the liver is tender. Remove the lid and arrange the bacon rashers on top. Continue cooking, uncovered, until the bacon is crisp. Serve hot.

Calves’ kidney stew

serves 6–8

ingredients

• Put the kidney in a bowl and cover

350g/12oz calves’ kidney,

with cold water and a good pinch

peeled and diced

of salt. Leave to soak while you

plain flour, seasoned with salt

prepare the vegetables, then drain

and freshly ground black

and dry with kitchen paper and

pepper, for coating

toss in the seasoned flour.

50g/2oz butter

• Melt the butter in a saucepan, add

100g/4oz onions, chopped

the kidney and vegetables, and

175g/6oz carrots, chopped

toss for 1–2 minutes in the butter.

1 turnip, finely chopped

Season with salt and pepper, and

3 celery sticks, finely chopped

add the stock. Bring to the boil,

1.7 litres/3pt beef stock

reduce the heat and simmer for

salt and freshly ground

45–60 minutes until tender.

black pepper

• Put the stew in a blender or food

processor, and blend for 2 minutes,

then reheat and serve hot.

Spicy goatmeat stew

serves 6

ingredients

• Season the goatmeat with salt, put

900g/2lb goatmeat

in a deep heavy frying pan and

2 onions, sliced

add the onions, thyme, curry

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

powder and half of the oil. Cook

1 teaspoon curry powder

for 30–40 minutes until tender.

75ml/3fl oz groundnut oil

• In another pan, heat the remaining

225g/8oz fresh red chillies

oil, and fry the chillies and

900g/2Ib tomatoes

tomatoes for 20 minutes until fairly

200ml/7fl oz tomato purée

dry. Add the tomato purée and stir

salt and freshly ground

thoroughly, then add the fried

black pepper

goatmeat pieces. Simmer gently for

another 10 minutes, stirring

frequently until well blended. Drain

off any excessive oil that rises to

the top, and serve hot.

Guinea fowl stew

serves 4

ingredients

• In a large frying pan, heat half of

50ml/2fl oz groundnut oil

the oil and brown the guinea fowl

900g/2lb guinea fowl, cut into

pieces, in batches if necessary,

bite-size pieces

with the thyme and curry powder.

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Remove to a plate and keep warm.

1 teaspoon curry powder

• Add the remaining oil to the pan

2 large onions, sliced

and sweat the onions and chillies

225g/8oz fresh red chillies,

for a few minutes, then add the

seeded and chopped

tomatoes and cook for about

900g/2Ib tomatoes

20 minutes until fairly dry. Add the

225g/8oz tomato purée

tomato purée, stir thoroughly and

2 garlic cloves

add the guinea fowl pieces.

2 onions, sliced

• Simmer gently for another

10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve hot.

Quail stew

serves 4

ingredients

8 medium quails

1 tablespoon crushed garlic

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon tomato purée

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon allspice

15g/1⁄2oz butter

4 green cardamom pods

2 large onions, finely chopped

salt and ground black pepper

•Wash the quails thoroughly inside and out, removing all fat from the tops and bottoms of the quails. Cut each quail in two, with bottoms and chests separated. Season with the cumin.

•In a large cooking pan, heat the oil and butter. Add the onions and garlic, and stir until the onions begin to brown. Put the quails in the pan, turning to brown all over. Next, add the tomato purée, cover the pan and reduce the heat. Season with salt and pepper, and add the allspice, cardamom and enough boiling water just to keep a thick sauce. Leave to cook for 30 minutes until well done.

•Remove the cardamom, and serve hot.