Pheasant Pizza with White Curry Sauce
This variation on a white pizza was inspired by a chicken salad my mother-in-law made with water chestnuts, pineapple and a mild curry-flavored dressing. Here the curry is in a white sauce, and a generous drizzle of a white balsamic reduction just before serving adds a tanginess that contrasts well with the sweetness of the grapes and pineapple.
Yield: 2 10” pizzas
Time: 1 hour
1 lb. homemade or frozen pizza dough
Cornmeal for sprinkling work surface
½ c. fresh pineapple, ¼” dice
1/3 c. Vidalia onion, very thinly sliced
1/3 c. water chestnuts, cut into matchsticks
8 oz. shredded poached pheasant *
5 oz. edam or fontina cheese, grated
¾ c. red seedless grapes, quartered
Olive oil for brushing
2 Tbsp. toasted sliced almonds
2 c. microgreens
Fine sea salt
White Curry Sauce (below)
Balsamic Reduction (below)
Place a baking stone, baking steel, or large baking sheet (upside-down) into the oven and preheat to 500° for at least 30 minutes. Divide dough in half and roll each piece into a 10” x 8” rectangle and dock (use a fork to prick holes all over). Transfer dough onto a board well-coated with cornmeal and wiggle the board to make sure the dough isn’t sticking. Carefully slip the rolled dough onto the heated stone or sheet and pre-bake for 2-3 minutes. Dough should puff slightly and be very pale. Remove from the oven onto a clean cutting board and repeat with second piece of dough. Spread half of the White Curry Sauce over each crust, top with pineapple, onion, water chestnuts, pheasant, cheese, then top with grape pieces. Lightly brush the edges of the crust with olive oil, return pizzas to the oven and bake 5-7 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbling. Transfer to a cutting board, top each pizza with half the almonds and microgreens, drizzle generously with the Balsamic Reduction and finish with a light sprinkle of sea salt. Cut into wedges and serve.
White Curry Sauce
½ tsp. curry powder
1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 Tbsp. finely minced Vidalia onion
1 ½ Tbsp. flour
1 c. whole milk
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice
Heat a small saucepan over medium heat, add curry powder and stir 20-30 seconds to lightly toast the spices then transfer to a small bowl. Add olive oil to the saucepan to heat, add onion and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes until transparent. Whisk in the flour until no lumps remain and cook, stirring constantly until mixture bubbles and thickens. Whisk in curry powder, then add milk all at once and whisk until smooth, cooking until mixture boils and thickens, 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Cover and set aside.
Balsamic Reduction
1 c. white balsamic vinegar
½ Tbsp. honey
Combine vinegar and honey in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer and reduce to 1/3 cup, about 20 minutes.
* To poach pheasant: Start with cold stock (pheasant or chicken), add quartered birds and simmer without boiling until tender, skimming off any foam that comes to the surface. Breasts get tender before thighs and legs, so remove each piece when the meat pulls away from the bones easily. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones and store covered with stock to keep meat moist. Poached meat freezes well and can be used for quick meal prep later; the strained stock is as versatile as chicken stock.)
Whole animal butchery promotes the use of as much of an animal as possible including bones, internal organs (heart, liver, etc.), and cuts uncommonly seen in a grocery store. The concept is not new; for centuries hunters, farmers, and others have practiced it. As a hunter and cook I support this type of butchery because I care about and respect the animals. It is a matter of ethics as well as economy.
Pheasant are upland game birds with lean, mild-flavored meat. In Virginia most opportunities to hunt pheasant are at a game preserve. Removing just the breast meat is common but this leaves behind a lot of nutritious meat. Undamaged birds are uncommon after a hunt but with a little effort, birds with bruised meat or broken bones can be cleaned, trimmed, and used. Make flavorful stock from the rib cage and back sections, confit the thighs and legs, and grill the hearts. Poaching a whole bird yields every usable bit of meat on the carcass for salads, casseroles, in pastas, and more.