DELICIOUS AUTUMN FEAST ... ROAST PHEASANT with WHISKY-CUMBERLAND SAUCE

BEAUTIFUL, DELICIOUS AND PLENTIFUL

THROUGHOUT the MICHIGAN NORTHWOODS

~ "Sorry old boy"

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ROAST PHEASANT with WHISKY-CUMBERLAND SAUCE

~ courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

1/4 cup Scotch whisky

2 oranges, cut in 1/8 ths

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 (2 to 2 1/2 pound) pheasants

salt & freshly ground black pepper

6 slices halved bacon

Whisky~Cumberland Sauce

1 cup Scotch whisky

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

2 Tbsp. grated orange zest

1 cup red currant jelly

1/4 tsp salt

pinch cayenne

For the pheasant: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In bowl, toss oranges with 3 Tbsp of whisky. Rub pheasants with remaining 1 Tbsp. whisky and lightly season with salt and pepper. Stuff each pheasant with the oranges and 1 sprig of fresh thyme. Close the cavities with skewers. Wrap the breast of each pheasant with bacon and set in roasting pan. Roast pheasants until thickest part of breast registers 160 degrees, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes.

Cumberland Sauce:

Combine whisky, orange juice and orange zest in medium saucepan and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced by 50 percent in volume to about 3/4 cup. Add currant jelly, salt, and cayenne and stir well. Cook until thickened about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into decorative bowl. Cool slightly before serving.

Remove bacon from pheasant breasts and cut each bird in half. Discard oranges and thyme in cavity. Serve hot with Whisky~Cumberland Sauce, wild rice and butter baked acorn squash seasoned with cracked pepper and brown sugar.