Pheasant and Leek ‘Gun’occhi Bake
This warming Pheasant and Leek Gnocchi Bake recipe is brought to you by Talking Game
INGREDIENTS:
500g pheasant breast, cut into 3cm chunks
500g fresh gnocchi
100g kale, hard stalks removed
1 chicken stock cube
1/2tbs coconut oil
2tbs butter
1 onion, diced
2 leeks, cut into rounds
200g mushrooms, roughly sliced
25g plain flour
1/2tsp english mustard powder
25g parmesan, grated
1/2 bunch parsley, roughly chopped
3tbs fresh breadcrumbs
Serves 4
A fantastic and easy midweek dinner. If you prefer, substitute the gnocchi with pasta.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan. When the water is boiling, drop in the gnocchi and cook for about 2 minutes; they are ready when they float to the surface. Once cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and cook the kale in the same water for another 2 minutes, then also set aside. Add the stock cube to 300ml of the cooking liquid and set aside.
Heat the oil and half the butter in a baking dish over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the chopped onion and leeks and fry for about 3 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Crank up the heat to maximum, then add the pheasant and mushrooms to the dish. Stir-fry for a few minutes, or until the meat takes on a little colour, then remove from the heat.
In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter and stir in the flour and mustard powder, then gradually start adding the reserved stock, adding more only when the previous addition has been totally absorbed. The slower you add the stock, the less chance there will be of lumps. When all of the stock has been added, bring to the boil, then take the pan off the heat, stir in the parmesan and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the mixture into the baking dish, covering the vegetables and pheasant, then add the gnocchi and kale. Gently mix to combine and top with breadcrumbs. Bake until the breadcrumbs are golden, around 20 minutes. Serve on its own or with steamed vegetables.