Honey-Za'atar Pheasant Breast with Tahini-Yogurt Sauce and Sumac Onions Recipe
A Middle-Eastern take on a Mid-Western staple.
(Photo courtesy of Adam Berkelmans)
December 25, 2024
By Adam Berkelmans
Print Recipe
This Middle Eastern take on pheasant includes some of my favorite things: tart sumac-marinated onions, earthy za’atar spice blend, creamy tahini, and a sweet and salty element brought by the finishing honey drizzle. Add a perfectly seared pheasant breast to that, and we’re talking about a powerhouse of a meal!
This meal is pretty visually striking, so adding a few flourishes like fancy salad greens and an artistic schmear of sauce will turn it into something truly beautiful if you take the extra steps.
Serves: 4Prep time: 20 minutesCook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
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4 pheasant breasts, skin-on and deboned (with wing-bone left in - optional) Kosher salt 1 tablespoon neutral oil or lard Za’atar spice blend 1 red onion, sliced thinly 1 tablespoon ground sumac 1 lemon, juiced 1 tablespoon good quality olive oil + more for garnish 1 tablespoon minced parsley 1 cup plain yogurt 1/2 cup tahini Liquid honey for garnish Fancy salad greens to serve (optional) Directions:
Add the sliced onions to a bowl. Add the sumac, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and a pinch of kosher salt. Mix well with your hands, ensuring that each layer of onion gets broken up. Let marinate while the pheasant cooks (this can be done up to 2 days ahead of time). Season the pheasant breasts with salt on both sides. Add the oil to a cast iron or stainless-steel pan and swirl it around. Put the pheasant breasts in skin-side-down, then turn the heat to medium-high. Sear until the skin is nicely browned, about 6-8 minutes. Flip the breasts and reduce heat to medium. Season the tops generously with za’atar while the bottoms cook. Cook until internal temp reaches 160°F. Let rest for at least 8 minutes. Mix the yogurt and tahini together in a bowl with a small pinch of salt. To plate, smear 1/4 of the tahini-yogurt sauce onto a plate. Put a pheasant breast on top, then stack some salad greens and sumac onions beside it. Sprinkle everything lightly with more za’atar, then drizzle everything with olive oil and honey. Enjoy!
(Photo courtesy of Adam Berkelmans)
Adam Berkelmans
Adam Berkelmans, also known as The Intrepid Eater, is a passionate ambassador for wild food and a proponent of nose-to-tail eating. A Jack-of-all-trades, but master-of-none, he has spent a lifetime collecting knowledge and experiences, trying his hand at wilderness canoe guiding, whole animal butchery, hazard tree removal, riparian restoration, arborist work, organic vegetable farming, park operations, food blogging, recipe development, and education.
Starting his brand, The Intrepid Eater, in 2020 as a response to the pandemic, he has since developed over 600 recipes, which can be found on his website, www.theintrepideater.com, and across hunting and outdoor media, both online and in print. With a heavy focus on wild foods, he derives inspiration for his recipes from international flavors and techniques and looks to make his plates pop with bright natural colors and flavors.
He also works closely with Harvesting Nature, providing support as managing editor, podcast host, writer, cooking and butchery instructor, and recipe contributor.
A Canadian, Adam spends his time between Ottawa and a cozy lake house north of Kingston, Ontario, with his partner Kathy and small münsterländer Arrow. When not cooking, he can be found hunting, fishing, foraging, gardening, reading, traveling, and discovering new ways to find and eat food.
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