Roast Pheasant and Pheasant Sausage Braised with Grapes

I love doing unconventional things with conventional ingredients, and while grapes are usually eaten in their fresh state, they are delicious baked into tarts or in this case, fried (yes, fried) and reduced into a sauce that compliment the spicy sausages in this dish perfectly. The idea came from the Zuni Cafe Cookbook, where there is a recipe for quail and sausage braised with grapes, a modern take on the traditional Umbrian dish called Salsiccia all’Uva. I couldn't find any quail at the Union Square Greenmarket today, so I chose another game bird instead - pheasant. And although the original recipe called for cooking the quail on a stovetop, I roasted the pheasant since whole pheasant is much larger than quail and cooking it on a stovetop would have been impossible. I also used spicy pheasant sausage, though Rodgers did suggest fennel sausage (which is usually pork). In fact, so much was changed from the original recipe, I can't really say that my recipe was adapted from hers; 'inspired by' is probably a more appropriate term in this case.

Choosing the right type of grapes is important to this dish. It is traditionally made with wine grapes (not seedless) and is supposed to result in something a bit crunchy due to the seeds, but at the Zuni Cafe, they use mostly seedless grapes, such as Black Emerald or Red Flame grapes. I chose small red and black seedless grapes at the farmer's market (I don't know what varieties they were), but whatever variety or varieties of grapes you choose, you want to make sure they aren't too sweet because it will result in sauce so sweet that it's cloying. Small grapes cook down the quickest and produce the best flavor and texture.

Another important note about this dish is that it's best eaten immediately because the grape sauce loses its flavor and the pheasant and pheasant sausages may dry out.

I really enjoyed this dish, although the roast pheasant came out a bit dry but probably because I wasn't diligent enough in basting it frequently. It's actually not a difficult recipe to follow at all, however, so I'll have to try this recipe again but with quail next time and see what results. I've only had quail a handful of times in my life but what a treat it was when I got to have it!

Roast Pheasant and Pheasant Sausage Braised in Grapes Inspired by The Zuni Cafe Cookbook Ingredients: • 2 whole pheasants, about 2½-2¾ pounds each • About 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • sea salt, to taste • a few pinches of fennel seeds, barely crushed • 4 fresh pheasant sausages (3-4 ounces each) • About 2 pounds (or 5-6 cups) small, red or black seedless grapes • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar or lemon juice Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse and dry the pheasant thoroughly. Rub it all over with salt and crushed fennel seeds. Also pour olive oil all over. 2. Place the pheasant in a shallow roasting pan, just large enough to hold it comfortably, and roast it in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the pheasant from the oven and baste the pheasant with its own juices. Cover it loosely with foil, and continue roasting for l½ hour, turning it every 15 minutes and basting it with the pan juices. 3. Cover a non-stick pan with olive oil and place a few pinches of crushed fennel seeds, then add the grapes. Stir regularly, until the skins split and release the grape juices. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 20-30 minutes. If the grapes are too sweet, add a pinch of salt and/or a little vinegar. Place the sausages in a large skillet and turn heat to medium. Cook sausages for about 15 minutes, about 3-4 minutes on each of the 4 sides. When they are brown all over, reduce the heat and pour off most of the excess fat. Then add the grapes. Turn down the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes or so, or until the sauce has been reduced to a rich jam. 4. When the pheasant is done cooking, remove it from the oven and allow to rest for about 15 minutes so that the juices have time to settle. Use poultry shears to cut the pheasant into serving pieces. Stir the pheasant in with the sausage and grapes. Serve immediately, as the pheasant and pheasant sausage will become dry if reheated.