Breaded Pheasant with Avocado Butter

This is always a favourite when I serve it to friends. I actually had one of my dude buddies (who has a wife) actually ask me if I’d marry him. Awkward…

Ingredients

Two pheasant breast halves, boneless and skinless.
Bread crumbs
Flour
2 eggs for egg wash

Avocado Butter

3 small avocados
2 tbsp lime juice (fresh is best if you can get it)
½ clove fresh garlic, minced
4 ounces (a quarter pound) salted butter, softened
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Salt & pepper to taste

Using a kitchen mallet, flatten the pheasant breast pieces. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top so you don’t have little chinks of bird all over your kitchen!

Set up a standard breading station. Dredge the pieces in flour, then egg wash and finally seasoned bread crumbs. On a medium high heat, add some cold canola oil to the hot pan and pan fry for a couple minutes per side. This will depend on thickness, of course. Just make sure you don’t over cook them as they’ll be dry as hell.

Avocado Butter

Cut avocados in half, lengthways and remove pits. Scoop out the flesh using a spoon. Place in a food processor or blender. If you don’t have either, use a bowl and then mash them with a potato masher or even a pastry cutter and fork.

Add lime juice and softened butter, mix well. Mix in garlic and cilantro, salt & pepper.

Roll into a log using wax paper, parchment paper or plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for a couple hours. When ready to serve, slice a few chunks off the log and place a couple on each of the pieces of breaded pheasant. Serve with roasted, seasoned potatoes or any kind of root vegetable. Or, even just a simple salad.

This recipe works equally well with quail, partridge or grouse, but the breast pieces will be very small. Awesome with chicken too!

Pound ‘er down!

Tip:
Using a mallet, flatten until thin. Use a sheet of plastic wrap over the top, so you don’t end up with little chunks of bird all over your kitchen!