Ingredients

• 20g/¾oz butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 1 pheasant breast
• bones removed
• 1 pigeon breast
• bones removed
• 1 partridge breast
• bones removed
• 1 mallard breast
• bones removed
• 2 tbsp brandy
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp truffle oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
• 1 leek
• finely chopped
• 1 sprig thyme
• leaves picked
• 250g/9oz assorted wild mushrooms
• roughly chopped
• 50g/1¾oz dried porcini
• soaked in warm water for half an hour and drained
• 300g/10½oz arborio
• or other risotto rice
• 100ml/3½fl oz dry white wine
• 1 litre/1¾ pints dark chicken stock
• 30g/1oz Parmesan
• grated
• 50ml/2fl oz double cream
• squeeze lemon juice
• salt

Directions

• To make the game
• heat the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat
• then add the thyme and garlic.
• Add the pheasant breast and pan-fry
• skin-side down
• until lightly golden-brown. Turn the breast over and continue cooking
• until almost cooked through
• but still a little pink (or longer
• if you prefer your meat well done). Remove from the pan and set aside to rest. Repeat with the remaining breasts
• ensuring the juices run clear before you remove them from the pan.
• Pour the brandy and vinegar into the pan to deglaze
• scraping off the residue from the bottom of the pan. Bubble over a high heat for 4–5 minutes
• or until the liquid has reduced to a glaze. Add the truffle oil and set aside.
• Return the breasts to the pan with their resting juices and spoon over the glaze. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile
• to make the risotto
• heat the oil and 25g/1oz of the butter in a frying pan. Sauté the leek and thyme on a medium-low heat for 7–10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the wild mushrooms and drained porcini mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the rice.
• Pour in the wine and simmer until the liquid has almost reduced
• then add a ladleful of stock. Cook the rice
• stirring continuously
• until the stock has been absorbed. Continue to add the stock
• a ladleful at a time
• until the grains of rice are plump and creamy. This should take 15–20 minutes.
• Stir in the Parmesan and cream
• then season with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir in the remaining butter.
• Spoon the risotto onto four serving plates. Slice the game breasts and arrange on top. Spoon over the resting juices and serve.