Game | Food & Wine Matching | Online Food & Wine Guide from Corney & Barrow

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The Game ‘banner’ covers a very complex array of animals; feathers to fur. Although there is a recognised game season, many examples of game are available all year round. It is treated rather differently than in the past, many people preferring less strident, pungent aromas of ‘high’ game emanating from their plates. The accompanying wine styles have consequently also evolved. Winged game – guinea fowl, wild duck, snipe, pigeon, quail, partridge, woodcock, grouse – goes well with matured red styles, depending on saucing. The addition of cream shifts the balance towards rich, balanced white wines. Quail and partridge are particularly good with Pinot and, indeed, accessible wines from Spain, Portugal and Italy where – by chance? – shooting is a passion. Buck, venison and boar warrant big, muscular, spicy reds. For people with a particular penchant for delicate aromatic whites, be warned as these are annihilated by powerful flavours and even modern game styles are pretty aromatic. Once again Italy, Spain and Portugal come into their own here as well as Shiraz, red Burgundy, Syrah and, top end Southern American Malbec.
See below for our recipe suggestion and matching wines

Our game recipe:
Pheasant Casserole with Chocolate and Orange

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 pheasants
2 onions, chopped
10 shallots
2 cloves garlic
2 large carrots
6 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
1 level tablespoon good quality unsweetened cocoa (Green and Black's)
Zest and juice of 1 orange
400ml red wine
400ml good chicken stock
Butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 180°C

Cut each pheasant into four pieces (you can ask your butcher to do this), melt a small knob of butter in a frying pan and brown the pheasant pieces, a few at a time, then place in a casserole dish.

In the frying pan, fry the onions until soft then add to the casserole.

Blanch the shallots in boiling water for a couple of minutes then cool under running water and peel, leaving whole. Chop the carrots into good-sized chunks and fry in a knob of butter for a few minutes with the shallots to give a little colour. Add to the casserole dish.

Fry the bacon and along with the flour, cocoa and orange zest, add to the casserole dish. Turn on the heat and mix in.

Add remaining ingredients, bring to the boil, put on lid and place in oven for 1 ½ hours or until meat is cooked and tender, coming away from the bones very easily.

Recipe by Charlie Capehorn www.charliefood.co.uk