From the distant past when history was recorded in cave and rock paintings, to the era of the space shuttle, hunting societies have honored their prey by drawing nourishment from the animals taken. Today, that sacred tradition is carried forward with pheasant hunts at The Preserve. Immediately following one of The Preserve’s pheasant hunts, and in keeping with The Preserve’s farm-to-table philosophy, pheasants are delivered to the Members' Clubhouse and Executive Chef Tommy DelMastro Jr.. One of Chef's signature dishes – a members’ favorite – is pheasant pot pie, a deliciously hearty, creative variation on a familiar recipe. Participants in the wing shoot are served the delicacy that evening as part of The Preserve’s post pheasant hunt gourmet dining experience. Chef's recipe follows. And unless I miss my well-seasoned guess, you'll follow it to creation of a meal that will not soon be forgotten.
Heat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.
In a 2-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery, carrot, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until vegetables are soft. Add heavy cream and reduce by half then add pheasant veloute to pan and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Stir in pheasant and peas remove from heat.
Carefully fill casserole dish with hot pot pie mixture. Using a pastry brush, brush the pie dough with the beaten egg.
Place the pie crust on top of the mixture. Place the pot pie in the oven.
Bake about 35 minutes or until golden brown.
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