Local Pheasant, Rhubarb Pie, Watercress Salad and Asparagus

My brother Jonathan and some good friends and neighbors joined us for a spring pheasant dinner, complete with blanched asperagus and a delicious grave, enriched from Tom's collection of dried mushrooms. Two pheasants 5 people.  I  had promised Jonathan a pheasant dinner as he knew about the pheasants in the freezer -- one wild and one a new release hunted last fall. (Tooth warning: be careful of the shot.)

Our neighbors brought a ruby red rhubarb pie.  And a delicate Burgundy -- Savigny Les Beaune 2001.  Lovely.

I made a watercress salad, with bits of grapefruit, topped with toasted sliced almonds.  Sang Lee has a slightly sweet, tangy citrus dressing that made a great base for an olive oil and vinegar dressing. The almonds add a richness and nutty quality.

Then I almost forgot the wild rice!

Menu

Pheasant
Stuff with pate de canard (sauteed in duck fat) and 3 prunes, mix in dried trompette de la morte
Rub truffle oil on pheasant and butter
Always put a few shallots and an onion in the pan, for a brown gravy
Bake 425 oven 30 minutes then turn to 325

Gravy
Wine, and trompette de la morte soaked in rain water madiera

Wild rice

Asparagus
Blanch to crunchy bite, saute breadcrumbs brown to add on top

Watercress Salad
Fresh local watercress, cut off ends
Dressing - 3:1 olive oil to vinegar (mild, I used orange vinegar) and add a spoon of  Sang Lee's Citrus Dressing

Rhubarb Pie
Rhubarb cooked with butter made it rich and creamy, and ruby red!