Recipe: Pressure Cooker Moroccan Pheasant

The ring-necked pheasant is one of North America's most sought-after game birds. The colorful, fast-flying birds with succulent white meat make great table fare. They are popular with wing shooters worldwide, and driven hunts in England and Morocco are steeped in tradition.

Moroccan food often includes meats cut into large pieces and marinated with fresh, easy-to-source ingredients, like onion, garlic, parsley and lemon. Whole pheasants, with skin and bones, are ideal for generating incredible flavors. This recipe is a great way to utilize whole pheasants and enjoy every morsel. It is fall-off-the-bone tender and will leave you wanting more.

Ingredients

• 2 pheasants, cut into pieces with bone in

Marinade

• 2 onions, quartered
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 2 fresh lemons, quartered
• 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Fresh ginger, 2 inches, peeled
• 1 Tbsp turmeric
• ½ cup green olives, sliced
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• ½ lemon, sliced
• ¼ cup vegetable oil or Ghee (clarified butter)

Directions

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a blender and create a smooth paste.
2. Cut the pheasant into pieces: legs, thighs, wings, breast sections, neck, and back. Place the pieces in a large bowl and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.
3. Place everything in a pressure cooker set on high pressure for 20 minutes.
4. Garnish the hot pheasant with the sliced olives and cilantro. Serve the pheasant hot over rice, couscous or quinoa. Top with slices of lemon.