Roasted Pheasant with Cherry-Currant Sauce

This elegant, all-purpose sauce pairs effortlessly with simple pork tenderloin and with special occasion meats ranging from duck breasts, pheasant, goose, venison and elk. When selecting foods to pair with L'Orage from Sheridan Vineyards, this sauce is an ideal choice, echoing the cassis flavors without detracting from the supple, velvety texture of the wine which deserves to be celebrated on its own.

When it comes to describing this wine, you simply can't beat the words from the winery: "The crown jewel of Sheridan Vineyard, L'Orage delights the eye with color befitting to a king, royal purple. L'Orage displays a beautifully forward spicy cocoa and cassis bouquet. You'll want to bury your nose in it! The vibrant palate is refined like custom silk, gliding across mouth with supple tannins and a finish that goes on forever. A majestic wine to age and enjoy."

Roasted pheasant is a treat rarely enjoyed, but worth the effort to find and prepare. The breasts and dark meat of a pheasant, when served together, offer a unique balance of flavor and texture. They are especially delicious when paired with a sauce featuring the richly sweet flavors of dried fruits.

To serve this dish, smash boiled red potatoes with butter and Fontina cheese. Season with salt and pepper and mound in the center of individual serving plates with the pheasant and sauce. If pheasant isn’t available, pair this sauce with duck breasts or with simple pork tenderloin.

Serves 4

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon dry sage leaves
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground white peppercorns
2 medium pheasants, about 2 pounds each, breast removed (skin on) and leg and thigh disjointed
1 tablespoon canola oil
Cherry-Currant Sauce
Smashed red potatoes

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix together salt, sage and both types of peppercorns. Pat over the pheasant pieces, pressing into the skin. Heat canola oil in a heavy, oven-proof sauté pan over medium-high heat. Brown legs and thighs evenly on all sides and transfer to the oven. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove legs and thighs from the pan and return the pan to the burner. Sear the pheasant breasts, skin-side-down, until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn breasts skin-side-up and return legs and thighs to the pan. Finish in oven for about 6 minutes, until breasts are cooked through, but not dry (take care to not overcook the breasts).

To serve, mound smashed red potatoes in the center of individual serving plates. Arrange a breast, leg and thigh over the potatoes on each plate and spoon Cherry-Currant Sauce over. Garnish with fresh sage leaves crisped in butter if desired.

Cherry-Currant Sauce
4 tablespoons cold butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2/3 cup minced shallots, about 2 medium shallots
2 tablespoons crème de cassis (currant liqueur)
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage
1/2 cup port
1 cup rich poultry stock*
3/4 cup dried sweet, dark cherries**
1/4 cup dried currants
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground white peppercorns
2 teaspoons black currant preserves
Salt to taste

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil in a heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, aromatic and beginning to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add crème de cassis, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan. Stir in sage and add port with the stock, cherries, currants and peppercorns. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by about 2/3. Stir in preserves and season with salt if necessary (if using canned stock, it will likely be unnecessary to add salt). Stir in remaining cold butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, and serve sauce warm.

*You may use prepared chicken broth for this recipe, but the sauce will have a richer flavor and more substantial body if you use a rich poultry stock. If you have prepared poultry demi glace available (such as that available at Williams-Sonoma), you could add a couple tablespoons to the sauce to enrich it.