Pheasant with sauerkraut, mash & killer pancetta sauce

How Maurice does it

1. 1

   Boil the chopped potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain, then add milk and 30 g butter and mash until smooth. Cover and set aside.

2. 2

   In a separate pot, combine the sauerkraut and white wine. Simmer gently for 10–15 minutes until the wine is mostly absorbed. Keep warm.

3. 3

   Season the pheasant breasts with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pheasant and cook for 3–4 minutes per side until golden.

4. 4

   Add 30 g butter and the smashed garlic cloves to the pan. Baste the pheasant with the foaming butter for 1–2 minutes. Remove the pheasant from the pan and rest on a foil-covered plate.

5. 5

   In the same pan with the pheasant juices, add the chopped red onion and diced pancetta. Sauté until the onion is soft and the pancetta is lightly browned.

6. 6

   Pour in the red wine and let it reduce by half, scraping up any browned bits.

7. 7

   Add the water and thyme sprigs. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.

8. 8

   Stir in the cream and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning.

9. 9

   Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a smaller pot or measuring cup. Keep warm.

10. 10

    Transfer the mashed potatoes to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.

11. 11

    To plate, place the pheasant breasts on a warm plate. Pipe swirls of mashed potatoes next to the pheasant. Add a serving of sauerkraut.

12. 12

    Pour the strained sauce over the pheasant and potatoes. Serve immediately.