Pheasant Tortellini with Brussels Sprouts

"Eat your vegetables Bobby," was the nightly ultimatum from Mom while growing up. Green beans, peas, spinach and even broccoli presented no problems in meeting her demands, but my delicate childhood palate did have one little green nemesis – Brussels sprouts.

Like most kids, I "guaranteed" vomiting if I were made to eat something as detestable as a Brussels sprout. And also like most kids, I've grown to love foods I scorned as a youngster. In the case of Brussels sprouts, I have a pheasant dish to thank for my new found love affair with these green little nuggets of goodness. The pheasant dish of which I speak is pheasant tortellini with Brussels sprouts and I developed it on a whim while grabbing some pre-packaged pasta fixings in the cold case of my local grocer.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• · One pheasant breast deboned and cut into 1 inch cubes
• · Approximately two dozen Brussels sprouts cut in half
• · A package of cleaned portabella button mushrooms
• · A package of cheese tortellini
• · A package of Alfredo cream sauce
• · A half stick of butter

Preparation Instructions

1. Add butter to a large frying pan and melt. When the butter is melted add pheasant meat to the frying pan and sauté till the pheasant begins to brown.

2. Sauté the mushrooms in butter in a separate frying pan.

3. Likewise sauté the Brussels sprouts in butter in a third frying pan until they begin to caramelize.

4. Combine the pheasant, mushrooms and Brussels sprouts into one large frying pan and reduce heat to low.

5. Boil the tortellini as instructed on packaging

6. Combine cooked tortellini with pheasant, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts.

7. Pour Alfredo cream sauce over all ingredients.

8. Stir everything, so Alfredo sauce is evenly distributed and simmer uncovered for three minutes.

9. Serve & Enjoy

I realize this isn't fine dining and some culinary purists will rip me for covering up the delightful taste of pheasant in cream sauce. I get it. Nonetheless, this is a very easy dish to make, and a really palatable dish for those folks that may be new and tentative to eating wild game. It's a great way to walk them through the wild game door with little risk of being turned off. Or in my case, it's a great way to learn to enjoy Brussels sprouts.

Now that I've tackled Brussels sprouts, I think I'm finally ready to confront lima beans. Anyone got a pheasant recipe that includes lima beans?

The Pointer is written by Bob St.Pierre, Pheasants Forever's Vice President of Marketing. Follow Bob on Twitter @BobStPierre.