Pheasant Milanese

1. You need to flatten the

pheasant breasts, put the fillets on a board, cover with a sheet of baking parchment and bash with a rolling pin until they are the same thickness all over.

2. Next you need to breadcrumb

the breasts. Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with a little salt. Tip the egg into another dish, then the breadcrumbs and parmesan, if using, into a third dish, stirring to combine. Working with one pheasant fillet at a time, coat in the flour, then dip into the beaten egg, and finally coat in the cheesy breadcrumb mixture. 

3. Once you have

covered all the breasts then transfer the fillets to an oven tray as you go, once they have cooked all over finish in the oven for 5 – 8 minutes to ensure they are cooked through. Will keep covered and chilled for a day, or frozen, stacked between sheets of baking parchment, for three months.

4. To cook, remove from the fridge and

bring up to room temperature, heat the sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and cook the breadcrumbed pheasant fillets for 3-4 mins on each side (add an extra 1 min each side if cooking from frozen) in batches if needed, until golden and crisp. Finish in the oven for 4 minutes on 180C.

Lift onto kitchen paper to drain off any excess oil.

5. To serve

choose mashed potato, new potatoes and spring vegetables like asparagus with lemon wedges on the side.