Today's recipe by Eagle Castle Winery (Paso Robles, CA) combines Pheasant and bacon with a creamy red wine sauce and spicy green peppercorns.  Served over a wild rice pilaf this dish makes a great meal out of the often over looked Pheasant.  If you are not familiar with Pheasant you'll enjoy trying out its unique fowl flavor.  If you want a milder form of Pheasant then try farm raised rather than wild Pheasant.  
 

Pheasant wrapped in Bacon with Green Peppercorn Sauce

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1-2 Hours            
Servings: 4           

• 4 pheasant breasts
• ½ lb Bacon wrapped
• 2 Cups Eagle Castle Red wine
• 1 chopped onion
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 tsp Tarragon
• 3 Tsp peppercorns (ground)

            
Wrap pheasant breasts in bacon.  Put in a cooking dish and place under the broiler till browned, turning once.  Remove from broiler and set the breasts on paper towels to degrease. Remove excess grease from pan. Deglaze the pan with the wine and pour that into a pot to make sauce. Add onion, garlic, tarragon, and peppercorns. Bring to slow boil. Reduce the mixture by half. Return the breasts back to the cooking dish. After the mixture is reduced add the cream. Stir well and pour that over the breasts. Return the pheasant to the oven and slow cook at 250F-300F for about an hour or two. Serve over a rice pilaf. Adjustments of more cream and wine may be added to increase the amount of sauce when preparing. Also, the green peppercorns may be left whole or crushed. If you crush them it tends to be a bit more peppery. Enjoy with Eagle Castle Zinfandel.

About Eagle Castle Zinfandel

Eagle Castle Zinfandel 2002 is a California driven Zinfandel with intense flavors of blackberries and a bright cherry fruit. This wine fills the palate with warm fruit and finishes with hints of oak and spice.

About Eagle Castle Winery

The Old World has been brought to the New World in this exciting new winery in Paso Robles, California. With exquisite wines fit for royalty, in the lush surroundings of the Santa Lucia mountains, sits an enchanted castle sure to charm wine lovers from around the world. For a romantic get away into another time and place, or a unique experience for the whole family, be sure to come visit us at Eagle Castle Winery.  Eagle Castle Winery is located approximately 1 and 1/2 miles west of Hwy. 101 on Hwy. 46 West and Anderson Road.