Ingredients

• 2 crowns of pheasant
• cleaned and washed
• 500ml/18fl oz chicken stock
• 1 celery
• 1 leek
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• left whole
• 400g/14oz pearl barley
• 500ml/18fl oz chicken stock
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5g fresh yeast mixed with 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp lemon vinaigrette
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots
• diced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 100g/3½oz lardo
• finely diced
• 8 fresh dates
• 8 baby purple carrots
• washed
• tops removed and reserved
• 8 baby orange carrots
• washed
• tops removed and reserved
• 8 baby yellow carrots
• washed
• tops removed and reserved
• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 pieces of lion’s mane mushrooms
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• 100ml/3½fl oz olive oil

Directions

• For the pheasant
• bring the stock to the boil in a large pan
• add the crowns and poach for 20 minutes. To test that the meat is cooked
• pierce with a skewer and check that the juices are clear.
• For the pearl barley
• tie the celery
• leek
• onion and garlic in cheese cloth. Put in a pan with the pearl barley
• chicken stock
• thyme and yeast. Simmer on a low heat for about 45 minutes
• until barley is soft but retains its shape. Remove the cheesecloth and drain the barley. Season with salt and lemon vinaigrette.
• For the spiced dates
• in a frying pan
• cook the shallot in the oil without colouring it. Add the cumin and caraway seeds. Fry the spices gently with the shallot until soft
• leave to cool and then mix in the lardo.
• Remove the skin and stones from the dates
• keeping the dates whole. Stuff each dates with the lardo mix and roll it back to its original shape. Just before serving reheat the dates in a warm oven.
• Cook the carrots in boiling salted water until al dente. Heat the butter in a clean pan until it is foaming. Add the carrots and coat in the butter
• remove from the heat.
• Fry the mushroom pieces in olive oil until crisp. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the chive oil
• heat the oil to 80C and add the chives. Infuse for a few minutes
• leave to cool and then blend in a food processor until smooth. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve.
• Just before serving
• heat a little oil in a pan until hot and sear the cooked crowns to crisp the skin. Carve the breast from the crown.
• To serve
• spoon the pearl barley on two plates and top with the pheasant breasts. Garnish with the dates
• carrots
• mushrooms and chive oil.