2ouncesmild tastingseedless bread, like a white pullman or brioche, crust removed, diced 1 inch
½cupwhole milkfor soaking the bread,
½cupheavy cream
Seasonings
5teaspoonskosher salt
7scrapes of fresh nutmeg
1teaspoonfresh chopped thyme
1teaspoongarlicmicroplaned or ground to a paste in a mortar and pestle
2ouncespork back fatdiced ½ inch and chilled (bacon can be substituted, but it will make a smoky tasting mousseline, and will taste more like smoked pork than pheasant)
⅛teaspoonground fresh white pepperoptional, I use white pepper for lack of color mostly
Brandy Morel Sauce
8-12ouncesfresh morelsdepending on size and availability
2tablespoonsunsalted butter
1tablespoonshallot diced ¼ inch
1ouncecognac
½cupvery strong homemade chicken stock
½cupheavy cream
Kosher saltto taste
Sauteed Asparagus, Nettles, and Fava Beans with Green Garlic
8ouncesfresh asparagus
3ouncesstinging nettles
2ouncesshucked fava beans
1tablespoongreen garlicdiced ¼ inch
3tablespoonsunsalted butter
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepperto taste
Instructions
Pheasant Mousseline
Preheat the oven to 250 with the fan on low if using a convection oven.
Soak the bread in milk until very soft, about 10 minutes.
Dice the pheasant meat and fat into 1 roughly 1 inch cubes. Grind the pheasant and fat through the fine plate of a meat grinder, then squeeze the milk from the bread and add it to clean the grinder, reserve the ground meat and bread.
Remove the meat-bread mixture to the bowl of food processor, then process, gradually adding the egg whites one at a time until the mixture is smooth. Finally drizzle in the cream.
Cook a small amount of the mixture to double check the seasoning and adjust as needed.
Butter four 4 ounce ramekins, then fill with the mousse mixture.
Put the ramekins of mousseline in a baking dish, fill until water comes half-way up the sides, then cover the pan with plastic wrap (preferably heavy-duty as it doesn't melt-see a good home brand here) finally wrap the pan in foil.
Steam the pan of mousselines for 20 minutes or until just set. Remove and serve immediately, or cool, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
Brandy Morel Sauce
If the morels are very large, cut them into slices or halve them. Sweat the morels in the butter until lightly browned, add the shallot, season lightly with salt, cook for a few minutes more, then deglaze with the cognac. Add the chicken stock and reduce by half, then add the cream and simmer a moment more until slightly thickened. Reserve the sauce until you’re ready to serve the dish.
Vegetables and Plating
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a simmer and have an ice bath ready. Blanch the favas, then the asparagus, then the nettles, shocking them in ice water. Heat the butter over medium heat, then add the green garlic and cook for 30 seconds then the asparagus and fava beans. Add the nettles, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve alongside the hot mousseline. Spoon the sauce and morels on top of each mousseline and serve.
Notes
This is easy to make if the mousseline is made the day before, which will make it taste better too. Just saute some morels with a little shallot and make a sauce, then quick saute some green vegetables. Cook any blend of fresh green vegetables you like here, lettuce, peas, favas, and asparagus are particularly good.