Pheasant with Apricots & Dates
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup dried apricots
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur (can substitute orange juice)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 large limes)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- one pheasant
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
- 1 bay leaves
- vegetable oil for brushing pheasants
- 1/2 cup pitted dates, chopped
- Garnish: fresh thyme sprigs
PREPARATION
- In a small heatproof bowl cover apricots with boiling water and soak 10 minutes. Drain apricots and cut into quarters. In a small saucepan simmer wine, liqueur, lime juice, and sugar 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- If preferred: cut off legs of pheasant and reserve for another use. Sprinkle pheasant inside and out with pepper and salt to taste. Put 1 teaspoon thyme and 1 bay leaf in cavity of pheasant and close cavity with skewers or toothpicks so that it holds its shape.
- Brush pheasant with oil and in a roasting pan arrange, breast side down. Roast pheasant 20 minutes and discard any fat in roasting pan. Turn pheasant over and to pan add apricots, wine mixture, and dates. Roast pheasant, adding about 1/2 cup water if all liquid evaporates, 25 minutes more, or until thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast registers 160°F. Let pheasant stand 10 minutes.
- Transfer pheasant to a cutting board and cut in half. Serve pheasant with apricot date sauce and garnish with thyme.