Pheasant Colette En Croute Recipes

SAUCISSON EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Beat the egg with the water and set aside.
• Cut the kielbasa into 8 (3-inch) long pieces and set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface roll the pastry sheets into 12 by 12-inch squares. Cut the sheets into 8 equal squares. Brush 1 square with water around the edges and wrap a sausage up in the pastry. (First fold the 2 long sides over the sausage, then fold the ends up and over. Press edges firmly to seal.) Place seam side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan.
• Brush the tops and sides of the packages with egg wash and bake until browned and shinny, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool for 20 minutes, before serving. They can be served warm or at room temperature with assorted mustards.
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HOLIDAY BRIE EN CROUTE

Steps:

• 1.Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork. 2.Sprinkle the flour on the work surface. Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square. Spread the preserves on the pastry to within 2 inches of the edge. Sprinkle with the cranberries and almonds. Place the cheese in the center of the pastry. Fold the pastry up over the cheese to cover. Trim the excess pastry and press to seal. Brush the seam with the egg mixture. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Decorate with the pastry scraps, if desired. Brush with the egg mixture. 3.Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 45 minutes. Serve with the crackers. 4.Flavor Variation: For Brie en Croute Provencal, omit the preserves, cranberries and almonds. Stir 1/4 cup diced jarred sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive tapenade and 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture in the center of the pastry sheet. Top with the cheese and proceed as directed above.

SALMON EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Skin and bone the salmon and set aside. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F/230 degrees C.
• Cut the tips off the asparagus. Reserve the stems and poach the tips in boiling salted water until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well, refresh in ice cold water, then drain again, leaving to sit so that all the water comes off. Puree the asparagus and stir in the creme fraiche, dill and lemon zest to blend. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry on a damp baking sheet with the long edge facing you. Lay the salmon on the pastry, like a picture in its frame. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the top of the salmon with the asparagus puree. Lay the raw stems of asparagus on top of the puree, like pencils.
• Brush the margins of the pastry with the egg wash. Lay the second sheet of pastry over the salmon and press the edges to seal, like a giant ravioli. Trim the edges, leaving a 1-inch/2.5 cm border. Press with the tines of a fork, then, with the dull edge of a knife, scallop the edges. Make 2 or 3 slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Brush all over with the egg wash and bake until puffed up and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before slicing. This dish is also good at room temperature.

DRIED CHERRIES, PECANS AND ROSEMARY BRIE EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it's easy to handle. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
• Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square. Stir the cherries, pecans, honey and rosemary in a small bowl. Spread the cherry mixture into the center of the pastry square. Top with the cheese round. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg mixture. Fold two opposite sides of the pastry over the cheese. Trim the remaining two sides of the pastry square to 2-inches from the edge of the cheese. Fold the sides up onto the cheese and press the edges to seal. Place the pastry-wrapped cheese seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Brush the pastry with the egg mixture
• Decorate the top with pastry scraps or additional rosemary, if desired. Brush the pastry with the egg mixture.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is deep golden brown. Let stand for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve with the crackers.
• *To soften cherries, mix the cherries and 1/2 cup hot water in a small bowl. Let stand for 1 minute. Drain and pat the cherries dry.

PHEASANT COLETTE EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Directions Heat the canola oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Season the pheasant with salt and pepper and coat with the softened butter. Brown all sides of the pheasant until golden brown and remove to a utility platter. To the same pan, add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion becomes translucent. Deglaze the pan with the Marsala wine and add bay leaves and parsley. Lower the heat and return the pheasant to the pan. (Wash and dry the utility platter and keep handy for the cooked pheasant.) Cover and simmer until the pheasant is tender and juices in the thigh run clear when pierced, about 35 minutes. Remove the pheasant to the utility platter and allow to rest until cool enough to handle. Strain the braising juices into another pot and skin off any excess fat. Add balsamic vinegar and brown sauce and cook over medium heat until thickened. Pull pheasant meat from the bones and cut into 1-inch pieces, discarding bones. Remove sauce from heat. In a bowl fold pheasant meat with enough sauce to coat. Do not feel obligated to use all of the sauce. The mixture should not be soupy. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out the pastry dough and, using an appropriately sized cereal bowl or small mixing bowl as a template, cut 4 rounds 8-inches in diameter. Spoon the pheasant mixture evenly into 4 individual ovenproof 6-inch bowls (onion soup bowls are ideal for this), and brush the edges of the bowls with egg. Top each with a circle of pastry, draping the crust over the rim. Brush the tops of the pastry with the egg wash and bake until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.

PHEASANT WITH CRANBERRY HONEY

Steps:

• Render bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pheasant parts and sear on all sides, then add red wine and onions. Sprinkle cracked pepper, bay leaves, tarragon, salt and mint over pheasant parts. Reduce heat to low and cover pot. Cook until tender and juices run clear (no longer pink), about 25 minutes. Remove pheasant carefully to a utility platter, cover and set aside to keep warm. Transfer liquids from pot to a heat resistant glass container (such as a 2 or 3 cup measuring vessel) and allow the layer of fat to rise to the top. Spoon or pour off most of the fat and return the rest of the juices, herbs, bacon and onions to the pot over medium heat. Add cranberries to the sauce and cook until the berries pop to make a rustic sauce. Remove from heat, discard bay leaves, and whisk in honey and sour cream.
• Arrange pheasant on serving dish, spoon sauce over, and garnish with mint.

BOEUF EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Season the beef with salt, and pepper. Melt a tablespoon of butter with a drizzle of the olive oil in a saute pan until hot, then sear the beef on all sides. Remove from the pan to a board, and let cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate.
• In the same pan as the beef, prepare the mushroom duxelles: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and fry the shallots until translucent. Add the mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaf, and cook until very tender. Pour over the Madeira, and bring to a boil, and cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Add the creme fraiche and cook down to a very thick paste. Season the mixture with salt, and pepper. Stir through the chopped parsley.
• Roll out one block of pastry to a rectangle large enough to fit the meat with a roomy border. Place on a baking sheet. Remove the fillet from the refrigerator, and unwrap. Spoon the mushroom mixture into the center of the pastry and set the meat on top. Roll out the second sheet to fit over the whole fillet generously. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and 1 teaspoon water. Brush the margins of the bottom pastry with egg wash, then drape the second sheet over, pressing to seal well. Trim the edge to a 1-inch border. Crimp the edges with your fingers. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Brush the whole surface of the pastry with egg wash and make two slits in the top with a knife to allow steam to escape. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F, and continue to bake 20 minutes, depending on how well you like your meat done. Remove from the oven and let stand about 10 minutes before serving in slices.

STUFFED BREAST OF PHEASANT EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Season breast with salt and pepper.
• Sear well in a pan with butter and let cool.
• Mix Brie, shallots, garlic, tomato, onion, mushrooms and sage.
• Season to taste.
• Stuff ¼ of cheese mixture under the skin of each cooled breast.
• Wrap each with a slice of bacon.
• Wrap with puff pastry.
• Brush top with beaten egg.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes.