Pheasant, Apple and Ginger Casserole

This dish is inspired by, but rather different to, a Claire Macdonald recipe. Lady Claire uses whole pheasants suggesting, rather ambitiously, that two birds will feed 6 to 8 people. Secondly, she uses flour to thicken her sauce, which I dislike. Thirdly, she recommends cooking in the oven. While this is perhaps better for a whole bird (and essential if you are unfortunate enough to have an AGA) I prefer the control you have on the hob, plus the blast of heat at the end to reduce the sauce.

Ingredients (Serves 4 - 6)

6 pheasant breasts; 60g butter; drizzle of olive oil; 4 onions thinly sliced; 1 garlic clove, crushed;  piece of fresh ginger, about 5cm long, cut in fine slivers; 1 cooking apple and 3 sweet apples, peeled, cored and chopped;  about 300ml dry cider; 250ml game or chicken stock; s & p.

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Season the pheasant breasts and brown in half of the butter, plus the oil. (Remember oil for heat and butter for flavour. Make sure you don't burn the butter.) Remove from the pan and set aside. Reduce the heat, add the rest of the butter and cook the onions gently until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, ginger and apples and cook for a further couple of minutes. Add the cider, increase the heat and allow to bubble to get rid of the alcohol. Add the stock, bring to the boil, then return the pheasant breasts to the pan. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook over a low heat until the pheasant breasts are cooked. This will take about 25 - 35 minutes. Turn the breasts half way through cooking.

When the meat is cooked remove from the pan and keep warm. Bring the sauce to the boil, stirring regularly and reduce to the desired consistency. Check the seasoning and serve.