Pheasant Veronique

Veronique is the French culinary term for dishes finished with grapes, and this pheasant does that tradition proud. Two whole birds get rubbed with butter, roasted breast-side down in stock, then served in a glossy cream sauce studded with seedless green grapes.

Starting the pheasant breast-side down lets the juices run into the breast meat during the first 25 minutes, keeping the leanest part moist. Flipping breast-side up for the remaining time browns the skin beautifully.

The sauce builds from the roasting liquid, strained and reduced, then thickened with arrowroot instead of flour. Arrowroot gives the sauce a clear, glossy finish that flour can’t match. Cream and lemon juice go in at the end, with the grapes warmed through just enough to soften without bursting.

Chef Tips

• Don’t boil the sauce after adding the cream. Boiling causes the cream to separate and the sauce goes grainy.
• Arrowroot thickens at a lower temperature than cornstarch. Stir it in off the heat, then bring just to a simmer.
• Use green seedless grapes, halved if large. Red grapes tint the sauce pink and overpower the delicate flavor.
• Pheasant is lean wild game. The butter rub and stock braise protect it from drying out.

Variations

• Chicken Veronique: Use a whole roasting chicken if pheasant isn’t available. Same technique, same sauce, slightly longer roasting time.
• White wine sauce: Add a splash of dry white wine to the roasting liquid before reducing for a more complex, acidic sauce.