Pheasant Marsala
One of my favorite dishes growing up was chicken Marsala. We had this little Italian restaurant that was open 3 nights a week. We rarely got to go out to eat but when went to Peter’s Cafe Italiano I got the Chicken Marsala every time. I remember watching him make it through the kitchen window. I loved the flame up when he put the Marsala wine in. For 20 years I have been trying to make it as good as Peter’s. Pheasant is used in this recipe instead of chicken and other light meat game birds can also be used such as Hungarian partridge or ruffed grouse. (For stronger more gamey birds you can soak them in buttermilk for a few hours or overnight prior to use) This recipe works well for all ages of birds because of the sauce and pounding of the meat it will always come out moist and tender. You can also serve it on a bed of spinach as well as pasta.
Ingredients
2 pheasant breasts pounded with meat hammer or run through cuber
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ cup flour
2 oz butter for browning peasant
Sauce:
2 oz butter
5 crushed garlic cloves
1 bunch of green onions
8 oz sliced brown crimini mushrooms
1 cup marsala cooking wine
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
cayenne pepper to taste
8 oz penne pasta
Parmesan cheese to taste
Directions
Heat water and 1 tsp salt in pot for noodles.
Pheasant
Mix salt and pepper with flour and lightly dredge pheasant breasts in flour.
In a medium saucepan melt the 2 oz of butter on medium to medium high heat. Carefully place breasts in hot butter and cook approximately 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side or until brown.
Remove from pan and set aside
Add noodles to boiling water and cook till al dente.
Sauce
Chop green onions in approximately ¼ inch rings keeping green tops separate from white bottoms.
Mix heavy cream with cornstarch very well and set aside.
In large saucepan on medium heat, melt 4 oz of butter and add crushed garlic. After garlic begins to brown add chopped white onion bottoms to garlic and butter. Add salt and cayenne to onion mixture. Toss, then add diced mushrooms and turn heat to high, stirring constantly.
As soon as the pan is hot add the marsala cooking wine and mix well. Reduce heat to medium. When liquid is reduced by half mix in the heavy cream and cornstarch stirring constantly. Once sauce thickens, add pheasant breasts and green onion tops spooning sauce over the pheasant, cover and remove from heat.
Strain noodles, toss with olive oil to keep them from sticking to each other.
Add bed of noodles to plate. Using a spatula add pheasant to noodles and spoon on additional cream sauce. Finish with parmesan cheese.