Roast breast of pheasant with potato rosti, tomato confit and a thyme-scented natural pheasant reduction

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 medium size cooking onions
• 1 stalk of celery
• 2 large carrots
• 1 kilogram pheasant bones
• ½ cup white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons juniper berries
• 12 springs fresh thyme
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 6 Roma tomatoes
• 4 Breasts of pheasant
• 4 Yukon gold potatoes
• 4 shallots
• 1 cup olive oil + 3 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cold sweet butter- into 1/8 inch cubes
• 3 cloves fresh garlic.

Directions

1. Cut onions, celery and carrots in half lengthwise and roast with pheasant bones in a 375F oven until lightly browned (approx. 40 minutes) stirring occasionally.
2. Place all bones and vegetables in stockpot and cover with cold water. Add bay leaves, berries and 8 sprigs of thyme and peppercorns. Turn the heat on to high and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour, skimming the stock of impurities every 10 minutes or so.
3. Strain and reduce the stock until 1 ½ cups of liquid are left. Set aside.
4. Wash and half tomatoes ( removing stem end ) and place in shallow roasting dish, preferably ceramic, add olive oil and cut tomatoes. Bake in oven skin side up for approximately 30 minutes. Set aside when cooked.
5. Season pheasant breasts and sear skin side down on medium heat in no oil, turn over after 2 minutes and place in oven at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes or until medium rare to medium.
6. Remove from oven and rest for 15 minutes.
7. Deglaze pan with white wine and add drippings to stock mixture.
8. Heat a 6 to 8 inch non-stick pan to medium heat.
9. Grate potatoes in a course grater or on a mandolin. Add olive oil to pan and place grated potatoes in pan and cook until bottom is golden brown and does not stick to pan.
10. Flip over and place in oven for 20 minutes at 350º F. Let cool on wire rack.
11. Reduce stock mixture to ½ cup and whip in butter, add remaining fresh thyme and parsley and season with salt and pepper.
12. Cut rosti potato in 4 pieces and place on plates.
13. Place 3 half confit of tomatoes on top of rosti. Place breast on top of tomatoes. Finish with sauce.