Pheasant Kiev with Whole Grain Mustard Mash

Make the Garlic Butter

Place all the ingredients for the garlic butter in a bowl and season well. Mash with a fork until combined and shape into two sausages. Tightly wrap in clingfilm, and then chill or freeze until really firm (this can be done up to 3 days in advance).

Once solid, slice each roll into 8 even pieces.

Prepare the Pheasant

Lay a pheasant breast on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to make a deep pocket inside the breast.

The easiest way to do this is to push the point of a knife into the fat end halfway into the fillet. Be careful not to cut the whole way through, or the garlic butter will leak out when cooking.

Repeat with the remaining breasts.

Stuff the Kievs

Push 2 discs of butter inside each pheasant breast, press to flatten and reseal with your hands. Set aside for later.

Coat the Kievs

Mix the breadcrumbs and parmesan together on a plate, and tip the eggs onto another. On a third plate, mix the flour with paprika and some salt.

Dip each breast in the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs, making sure the fillet is fully coated by each. Chill for at least 1hr before cooking, or freeze now.

(Tip: use one hand for the wet ingredients, and your other for the dry ingredients.  Being careful not to cross-contaminate them.  This will keep mess to a minimum!)

Cook the Kievs

To cook, preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas mark 4.

In a large frying pan heat the oil over a medium-high heat and fry the kievs for about 1min on each side until golden (you may need to do this in batches).

Transfer to a baking tray and cook for 10-12 mins until cooked through.

Prepare the Mash

Tip the potatoes into a large saucepan, cover with boiling water and cook for about 20mins or until soft.

Drain the potatoes in a colander, and leave to steam dry for a few moments, before returning to the pan.

Add the butter, milk and mustard, season well, then mash thoroughly until creamy. Cover the mash to keep it warm before serving