Pheasant and Spinach Curry

Traditional pheasant recipes usually involve bacon and a hot oven. But in recent times people have realised that the stronger flavours of game can really lend themselves well to curries - warming and hearty, pheasant curry makes a great winter dish.

Pheasant and Spinach curry

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 6 pheasant breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
• 6 tbsps sunflower oil
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• A 2 inch piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 Cloves
• 10 Cardamom pods
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 tbsp ground Coriander
• 2 tbsps ground Cumin
• 2 tbsps mild Paprika
• 2 tbsps Turmeric
• 400ml water
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 good handful freshly chopped Coriander
• 200ml Coconut milk
• 3 good handfuls of fresh Spinach
• 2 tbsps Garam Masala
• Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

Method:

Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan and brown the pheasant for a few minutes.

Add the onions, ginger and garlic with the remaining oil and cook until the onions are soft.

Now add the cloves, cardamom pods and bay leaves, ground coriander, cumin, paprika and turmeric and cook on a medium heat for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the water, add the cinnamon stick and fresh coriander and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Stir in the coconut milk and add the spinach. Replace the lid and leave to simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, sprinkle on the garam masala and replace the lid again. Leave for 5 minutes.

Just before serving stir in the garam masala, check the seasoning and remove the cinnamon stick. Serve with boiled Basmati rice with a little saffron added if required.

Wine Matching

Nick Stephens from Bordeaux Undiscovered has kindly matched their Cremant d'Alsace Jean Baptiste Adam as the perfect pairing for this dish. Curry and spicy foods can be difficult to pair wine with. The art of pairing wine with food is to find a wine or a dish which is subservient to the other. With curry and spicy dishes the spices are the most dominant ingredient. Therefore the wine needs to work in harmony with the spices and support as well as enhance their flavours rather than the other way around.

In Nick's experience this harmony can be achieved with a very good Sparkling Wine or Champagne. Therefore Nick always suggests their Cremant d'Alsace with a curry. It is produced the same way as a Champagne with a blend of similar grapes but at half the price. It is highly aromatic with expressive fruity notes of apricot and pear and has hints of lime blossom, spice and brioche.

The delicate flavours of the Cremant will really enhance your dining experience with a curry leaving you refreshed after a meal unlike some alternatives that can leave feeling slightly bloated or uncomfortable. Click here to view this wine.