Pheasants, unlike mallards, are not native to Ireland. They were brought here around the 16th century by the Normans, who had a deep-seated desire for game – that is, the pursuit of animals for sport in the wild – though proper pheasant hunting had to wait until the invention of the shotgun in the 19th century.
The Normans also liked spices, from nutmeg and cinnamon to allspice and cumin. Many recipes connected to their legacy contain these spices in sauces for game. It is difficult to find recipes that predate the 14th century unless we go back to Roman times. There are, however, one or two, most often found in medical contexts.
One such book is The English Garden, written by Henry, archdeacon of Huntingdon in England, around 1135. Sometimes he describes the culinary application of the herb or spices, such as “mix together pepper and cumin with these juices. In such a way, if you are eating cold pork, no other flavour would be made more pleasing than this”.
As well as a love of spices, the Normans were fond of fruits, including cherries, pears and plum. These fruits would be stewed in honey, wine and spices such as ginger, cinnamon and black pepper.
The pheasant-hunting season finishes on February 1st, but if you don’t have time to bag yourself a bird this weekend, this recipe will work well with any similar avian creature, from chicken to duck.
How to cook pheasant with plums
Oil two oven-ready birds and season them with sea salt. Dust with some ginger, cinnamon and black pepper. You can place strips of streaky bacon across the breasts if you wish but this is optional. Place in an oven heated to 200 degrees and roast for 30 minutes, or until the core temperature is above 65 degrees.
Meanwhile, place some quartered and stoned plums with a spoon of honey and a good splash of marsala wine in a small pot. Use the same spices to season the plums. You can stew the plums down and make a sauce or cook them less and serve quartered, beside the roasted bird. If making a sauce, blend the content of the plums mixture and let down with a little water (or more wine).
