Pheasant Suprêmes Berchoux

Known Ground reconstruction

Commercial tart shells and a small water-bath mousseline make the original barquette construction workable at home; the distinct stuffing, poached breast, and fumet sauce are retained. This version has not been personally tested by Known Ground. Cook the bird and any poultry forcemeat to 165°F (74°C) in its thickest portion.

Instructions

1. Butterfly the breast portions and fill with a mixture of minced liver, truffle, and a small amount of seasoned poultry forcemeat; secure with twine.

2. Blend cooked leg meat, mushroom purée, cream, egg white, and seasoning. Bake in a small water bath at 325°F until 165°F (74°C), then spoon the mousseline into warmed savory tart shells.

3. Poach the stuffed breasts gently in butter, brandy, lemon juice, and stock until 165°F (74°C).

4. Reduce the poaching liquid with demi-glace. Place one breast on each mousseline-filled shell and serve the sauce separately.

Historical formula

Ingredients

• pheasant suprêmes
• pheasant liver
• gratin forcemeat
• truffle trimmings
• mushroom purée
• brandy
• lemon juice

Method

Open the suprêmes through their thickness and fill with a forcemeat of minion fillets, pheasant liver, about an equal quantity of gratin forcemeat, and truffle trimmings. Set in butter. Make a mousseline forcemeat from the legs with half as much mushroom purée; fill baked barquette shells and poach. Moisten the suprêmes with brandy and lemon juice, poach them, and set one on each barquette. Serve a pheasant-fumet demi-glace separately.

Source

Le Guide Culinaire — Relevés et entrées de gibier, pp. 895–953.