Ingredients:

  • 2 skinless pheasant breasts
  • 6 plump Turkish apricots
  • 12 rashers thinly sliced prosciutto or streaky bacon
  • 4 thyme sprigs
  • Knob of butter
  • 2 Tbl olive oil
  • 50 g watercress
  • Squeeze of orange juice

Instructions:

  1. Cut each pheasant in half across the middle, lengthwise so that you have 4 thin slivers of breast. Cut the apricots in the same way.
  2. Lay out 3 overlapping slices of prosciutto or bacon and place a sprig of thyme on top. Put a piece of breast on top of this and lay 3 pieces of apricot on top of the breast.
  3. Season with salt and pepper, then wrap the prosciutto tightly around the pheasant to form a parcel. Repeat with the remaining pheasant, prosciutto and apricot to make 4 parcels. You can make these the day before and chill overnight.
  4. Heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a high flame and add the butter and 1 tablespoon of oil. When the fats are sizzling, add the pheasant parcels and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until the prosciutto is crisp and golden. The heat from the pan will seal the prosciutto tightly around the pheasant breast.
  5. Pop the breasts onto a baking tray and roast in the oven for 5-7 minutes to finish cooking. Meanwhile, add the zest and juice from the 2 oranges, cinnamon, honey and soy to the pan juices and simmer to reduce until syrupy. Toss the watercress with the remaining oil and a squeeze of orange juice. Serve the pheasant parcels with the orange sauce, watercress and rice.