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Pheasant with Fennel-Bacon Dressing

Fennel and applewood-smoked bacon provide an interesting flavor profile to an old favorite.
Servings 6
Prep Time

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Butter
  • 1 small fennel bulb (1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped)
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 4 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked, crumbled
  • 2 tbsp snipped parsley
  • 1 1/2 tsp snipped fresh marjoram
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground sage
  • 1/4 tsp ground fennel seed
  • 1/8 tsp teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 ounce unseasoned bread cubes
  • 1 1/4 cups chicken broth with 1/3 less sodium
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 (2-3 pound) pheasants, halved, thawed (goose breast may be substituted)
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 2 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/3 cup Stonewall Kitchen Old Farmhouse Chutney

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in medium skillet; saute fennel, celery and onion until vegetables are crisp-tender (4-5 minutes). Stir in pine nuts, bacon, parsley, marjoram, salt, sage, fennel seed and pepper. Stir into bread cubes. Pour chicken broth over bread cubes mixture; let stand 5 minutes until chicken broth is abosorbed. Spoon into 2 1/2-3 quart casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate, covered, several hours or overnight. Melt butter and oil in large skillet over medium heat. Saute pheasant halves, skin side down until browned (about 15 minutes). Turn pheasants, saute 5 minutes longer. Arrange pheasant, skin side up on jelly roll pan. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Spread pheasants with chutney. Bake, covered, on bottom oven rack in preheated 350 F oven to an internal temperature of 165-170 F, (35-45 minutes). Bake dressing, uncovered, on middle oven rack until heated through (35-45 minutes).