(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)
