Pheasant and Chestnut Soup with Soft Spices

Pheasant and Chestnut Soup with Soft Spices

Serves 6

This is a Guest Recipe from the Saturday edition of the Financial Times.

A degree of sweetness suits game flavours.  The unsweetened chestnuts and aromatic rather than fiery spices in this recipe still give a subtle softness to the finished dish.

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

Vegetable oil for frying

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 whole pheasant

Pack of unsweetened peeled chestnuts, either tinned or vacuum packed

1.5 litres hot chicken stock

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons double cream

Salt

2 tablespoons flatlet parsley, chopped

AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO.....

1. Fry the onion and carrot in a little oil in a large heavy-based saucepan or casserole to, then stir in the spices.
   
   
2. Add the pheasant and let it colour all over.
   
   
3. Add the chestnuts and stock, bring to the boil, cover with a lid and allow to simmer very gently until completely cooked.   This will take about 30 minutes.
   
   
4. Carefully lift out the bird, tipping it so that all the liquor in the central cavity returns to the pot rather than scalds your fingers.
   
   
5. When it is just cool enough to handle, cut away all the meat from the bird.
   
   
6. Keep little diced breast meat for the finished soup but return the rest to the pot.
   
   
7. Blend the soup in a liquidiser and, if necessary, strain through a coarse sieve.
   
   
8. Add the lemon juice, cream and a little salt, then stir in the parsley and serve with the smarter looking pheasant dice you have kept to one side.