Show- Piece Roast Pheasant

 Show-Ppiece Roast Pheasant

          Clean, pluck and singe three 2- 1/2 to 2- 3/4 lb. pheasant that have hung for at least 6 days. Do not pluck or remove the heads but protect them in oiled paper. Reserve the tails to decorate the platter. Rub the birds inside and out with salt and pepper.

            Inside each bird put 1 bay leaf, 1garlic clove, 1whole clove 1 Tbsp diced parsley mixed with 2 Tbsp. coarsely minced green celery leaves and 1 thin slice of lemon, seeded, and diced. Cover the breast of each bird with a thin sheet of larding pork. Sew the openings, truss the birds, and lay them side by side in a small roasting pan. Add 4 or 5 thin onion slices and 2 Tbsp. fresh mushroom peelings and moisten with 2 cups chicken stock. Season with a little salt and add 10 freshly bruised peppercorns.

            Roast the birds in a moderate oven (350 F) for 40 to 45 minutes, basting every 10 minutes. Carve the birds, slice the breasts, and reshape the birds on a heated serving platter. Remove the paper from the heads, arrange the feathers neatly, and decorate with the tails.

            Strain the pan gravy through a fine sieve into a saucepan and let it stand until the fat floats on the surface. Skim off the fat thoroughly. Bring the gravy to a boil and stir in 3 Tbsp. red currant jelly. Taste for seasoning and pour the sauce into a heated sauceboat. Bread sauce may also be served.