Recipes: Pheasants in Wild Cherry Sauce, Pheasant and Wild Rice Casserole, Drop-Dead Trout Spread

Pheasants in Wild Cherry Sauce

Serves 4.

Note: If wild cherry jam is not available, use regular cherry jam or cherry jelly and add 1/2 cup unsweetened, pitted cherries. Chicken can be substituted for the pheasants. Adapted from "The New Prague Hotel Cookbook," by John Schumacher.

• 4 skinless pheasant breasts

• 11/2 c. flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

• 1/4 c. ( 1/2 stick) butter

• 1/4 c. green onions, diced finely

• 2 c. brown gravy (made from scratch or from package)

• 1/2 c. dry sherry

• 1 tbsp. lemon juice

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• Chopped parsley, to taste, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly flatten breasts with meat mallet to about 3/4-inch thickness. Dredge in seasoned flour. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat until it bubbles. Add pheasant and sauté until golden brown on both sides.

In a separate bowl, combine green onions, jam, brown gravy, sherry, lemon juice and salt.

Transfer pheasant to an ovenproof baking dish and top with gravy mixture. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Nutrition information per serving:

Protein41 gCholesterol136 mgDietary fiber1 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 fruit, 2½ other carb, 6 lean meat, 1 fat.

Pheasant and Wild Rice Casserole

Serves 6 to 8.

Note: You'll need to cook the pheasant in advance. Chicken can be a substitute for the game.

• 1 c. sliced (not slivered) almonds

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter

• 1 small green onion, chopped

• 2 c. sliced mushrooms, any variety

• Snipped parsley

• 1 c. uncooked wild rice

• 4 c. chicken broth (regular or low fat)

• 1 c. dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add chicken broth and bring to gentle boil. Remove from heat and add meat. Bake in oven for 60 to 90 minutes or until rice opens. Check periodically, stir, and add water if mixture appears dry. Top with dried cranberries before serving.

Nutrition information per serving (pheasant without skin):

Calories457Fat25 gSodium662 mgCarbohydrates33 gSaturated fat10 gCalcium75 mg

Protein29 gCholesterol87 mgDietary fiber4 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 bread/starch, 1 other carb, 4 medium-fat meat, 1 fat.

Serves 12 as an appetizer.

Note: Croustades (small, toasted edible containers) are available at upscale markets. You'll need to toast the pecans in advance. Adapted from "Smoke and Spice," by Cheryl Alters Jamison.

• 8 oz. smoked trout, skinned, deboned and flaked

• 3 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

• 3 tbsp. minced onion

• Zest of lemon

• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 1 tsp. horseradish, or more to taste

• 11/2 tsp. mustard

• 1 tsp. white wine

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Croustade shells, if desired

• Caviar , optional

• Dill, optional

Directions

Spoon mixture into pastry bag and pipe mixture into croustades. Garnish with caviar and dill, if desired. Or spoon mixture into a small bowl and serve with crackers or French bread.

Nutrition information per serving (spread only, without caviar):

Calories60Fat4 gSodium179 mg

Carbohydrates1 gSaturated fat2 gCalcium11 mg

Protein4 gCholesterol12 mgDietary fiber0 g