I did it my way

The Faisan Brabançonne that I made yesterday was a big success. I promised you I wouldn’t show you the empty carcass, so I won’t. Although it is the best proof of how good it was; even if I say so myself.

I didn’t follow the traditional recipe, but did it my way. But more about that later. Here’s the original recipe by Pierre Wynants, Belgium’s first three Michelin star chef ever (only two nowadays), from the ‘Comme Chez Soi’ restaurant in Brussels.

Ingredients (serves 4)

- 2 pheasants of about 1 kg each, nicely trussed like shown in yesterday’s photo
- 300 gr. of butter
- 12 Belgian endives (witlof)
- 3 dl of chicken stock
- 2 generous tablespoons of veal stock
- salt and freshly ground pepper, nutmeg

Method

Start by braising the Belgian endives. Melt some approx 50 gr. of butter in a pot. Put the witlof side by side on the bottom of the pot. On a medium heat, brown them on all sides, gently turning them every minute or so. Add some pepper, salt and freshly grated nutmeg. When the witlof is slightly golden brown and translucent (this takes about 5 to 7 minutes), lower the heat and put the lid on the pot. Let the witlof simmer for about 45 minutes, turning them over every 15 minutes or so. If they stick to the bottom of the pot, add a dash of water. Whatever you do, DON’T boil your endives in water!

In the meantime brown the pheasants in 200 gr. of butter. When they are nice and golden-brown all over, put them in a shallow baking tray and pour the butter over them. Put the tray in a pre-heated oven at 180° C and bake them for min. 30 minutes. Baste regularly. To check whether the pheasants are ready, take a fork and prick between the thigh and the breast. If the liquid that comes out is clear, the pheasants are done. Count approx. 1 hour per 1 kg.

Transfer the pheasants to another shallow oven tray and put the endives around them. Use half of the chicken stock to scrape up the pan juices from the pheasant and the other half to do the same with the pan juices from the endives. But both in one pot and add the veal stock. Put the pot on a high heat and let the liquid reduce to about ¾. Take the remaining 40 gr. of butter and cut it in small cubes, which you slowly add to the reduced stock mixture. Keep stirring.

Pour the sauce over the pheasants and the witlof and put the tray for 2 to 3 minutes in the oven (180°C). Baste the pheasants and the witlof every 30 seconds or so with the sauce. And there you are! Your Faisan à la Brabançonne is ready to be served.

This was this traditional, Michelin star winning version. And this is mine.

Ingredients (serves 2)

- 1 pheasant hen (the hens are more tender and less stringy and the cockerels)
- 4 to 6 Belgian endives
- 100 gr. of salted butter
- 100 ml of liquid cream
- A tablespoon of cream cheese (Philadelphia or similar)
- Pepper, salt, nutmeg and a bay leave.

Utensils – my secret weapon: a Römertopf or ‘chicken brick’

Remove the lard before putting the pheasant in the chicken brick.
You can leave the vine leaf if you want.

Method:

Soak the chicken brick overnight in water.

Melt the butter in a pot and put in the witlof, side by side. Brown them for about 5 to 7 minutes, turning them regularly until they are golden-brown and slightly translucent. Add some pepper and grated nutmeg.

Take a tablespoon of cream cheese and a bay leave and put them in the cavity of the pheasant. Put the pheasant in the chicken brick. Generously add pepper and salt. Put the witlof around the pheasant, add a dash of water and put in an oven at 210 °C for 45 min. to max. 1 hour. To check whether the pheasant is ready, see above.

Place the pheasant and witlof on a tray and keep warm in the oven while you make the sauce. Pour the cooking juices in a sauce pan and let reduce to about ½. Add the liquid cream and bring to the boil. Let the sauce simmer for about 30 seconds before pouring it in a serving jug. Done! Serve with 'pommes croquettes'.

By using a chicken brick the pheasant meat is nice and moist.

Which method do you prefer?