Suprêmes, Côtelettes et Filets de Faisan

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy lidded oval casserole sized closely to the birds
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Sharp flexible boning or carving knife
• •Small heavy saucepan
• •Oval heatproof serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Ready the service

   Warm an oval platter and four dinner plates in a 150°F (65°C) oven. Set out a sharp flexible knife, a board with a groove, and a small saucepan before the birds finish. The Poëlings (No. 250) must meet a table ready to receive it, because guests may wait for pheasant, but carved pheasant must never wait for guests.

   Do not lift the breasts early for convenience. Keeping them on the carcass protects their heat and moisture until the last possible moment.
2. 2

   Finish the poëling

   Cook the pheasants according to Poëlings (No. 250), keeping the birds whole and following that preparation through its butter-rich cooking. Begin checking early. Remove the birds when the thickest part of each breast registers 158 to 160°F (70 to 71°C) and the inner thigh has reached at least 165°F (74°C); carryover during the rest should bring the breasts to 165°F (74°C). If a thigh lags, shield the breasts loosely with foil and continue cooking in two-minute intervals. If a breast reaches 165°F (74°C) sooner than planned, take the bird out at once and do not return it to the oven. Hot jus and warm plates will serve it more kindly than further cooking.

3. 3

   Rest the birds whole

   Transfer the pheasants to the warmed platter and cover them loosely for 8 to 12 minutes, leaving every breast attached. Check that the breast has reached 165°F (74°C) before carving. If dinner is delayed, keep the birds whole rather than parking carved meat in a warm pan; a loose cover and an extra five minutes are tolerable, while a sliced suprême dries almost at once.

4. 4

   Correct the jus

   While the birds rest, place the finished cooking liquor from Poëlings (No. 250) in the small saucepan and bring it to a bare simmer. Skim away any remaining surface fat, then reduce only until the jus tastes concentrated and lightly coats a spoon. If it remains watery, give it another minute; if it becomes salty or sticky, loosen it a tablespoon at a time with hot water. Ça se rattrape. Keep the jus hot without boiling it hard.

5. 5

   Raise the suprêmes

   Place one pheasant breast-side up. Cut down one side of the breastbone, then turn the knife nearly flat and follow the rib cage with short, clean strokes, lifting the breast in one piece. Repeat on the other side and with the second bird. If the meat clings, stop and move the blade closer to the ribs rather than pulling; a small tear disappears beneath the jus, but tugging squeezes out the juices. Taste a drop of the carving juices and add them to the saucepan if they are clear and well flavored.

6. 6

   Choose the presentation

   For suprêmes, leave each breast whole. For côtelettes, keep the first wing bone attached as you raise the breast, scrape the bone clean, and trim the flesh into a neat oval without pounding it. For filets, remove the wing bone and divide the breast along its natural length. These are forms for service, not invitations to cook the meat again.

7. 7

   Sauce and serve

   Season the carved pheasant lightly with salt and white pepper only if needed, then place one portion on each warmed plate. Spoon the glossy jus over and around the meat, enough to keep it succulent without drowning its browned surface. Carry the plates directly to the table. No holding pan, no second heating, no delay. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose small farm-raised hen pheasants of similar weight so their breasts finish together. Wild birds vary more in age and leanness; technique still comes first, but begin checking them several minutes earlier.
• •Poëlings (No. 250) is the separate foundation this entry calls upon, and its full ingredients and method remain with that formula. Use real butter there. The butter carries the savor of the vegetables and bird into the finished cooking liquor, which is why a fat substitute has no place in the pan.
• •Two birds may look extravagant for four people, but each supplies only two proper suprêmes. Save the cooked legs and carcasses for another meal rather than enlarging the portions with breast cut too thinly.
• •Never poach the raw pheasant breasts ahead of service. That method suits fowl more readily, while pheasant loses moisture with astonishing speed once its breast is detached.
• •If you choose a Rossini garnish of foie gras collops and truffles, send a small timbale of noodles with cream separately. The noodles give the rich garnish a proper companion without burying the pheasant.
• •A red Burgundy with freshness rather than great weight suits the browned bird and concentrated jus. The sauce should remain savory and clear, so avoid a heavily sweet wine.

Advance Preparation

• •The pheasants may be trimmed and kept uncovered in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours, but leave the breasts attached. Bring the birds out 20 minutes before cooking so their surface loses its deep chill.
• •Measure and arrange everything required for Poëlings (No. 250) earlier in the day. Warm the platter and plates before the birds finish, since the final carving cannot be prepared ahead.
• •The finished cooking liquor may be strained and degreased while the birds rest, then held at the barest simmer for up to 15 minutes. Loosen it with a little hot water if reduction tightens it.
• •Do not carve the pheasants in advance. If service slips briefly, hold them whole under a loose cover; once raised, the suprêmes should go from knife to warm plate without a second cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 300g)