Christmas at Rick's

Chef and restaurateur Rick Stein shares the dishes that earn their place on his festive table. Rich, tasty and definitely worth celebrating...

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Pheasant breasts with Islay malt & celeriac, apple & parsnip rösti

SERVES 4

Cook the röstis up to an hour before you serve and keep warm in an 80C oven, and wrap the breasts in pancetta well in advance.

The sauce must be done at the last minute.

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Wrap each pheasant breast in 4 slices of pancetta. Heat 20g of the butter in a heavy-based, ovenproof frying pan, then fry the breasts over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Turn them over and fry for a further 2 minutes, then transfer the pan to the oven and cook the breasts for another 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Check the internal temperature with a meat probe inserted into the thickest part of one of the breasts - it should be 63C. Keep the breasts warm while you make the sauce.

2 Melt the remaining 20g of butter in the pan, add the shallots and fry gently until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry them for 2-3 minutes, then add the whisky, chicken stock and cream. Bring to the boil, then immediately turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the sauce for a couple of minutes until bubbling and thickened. Add some chopped parsley, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

3 To make the rösti, mix the grated vegetables and apple together, then wrap in a clean tea towel and wring out excess moisture. Place mixture in a bowl, add the flour and enough of the egg to bind together, then season with salt and pepper.

4 Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan. Divide the grated mixture into 4 and, using your hands, shape into flattish patties about the size of your palm. Fry the rösti for 4-5 minutes over a medium heat, then flip them over and cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp. Keep them warm until ready to serve.