Pheasant Wellington with Chestnut & Thyme Duxelles

⏱ 150 min · Serves 4

Lean pheasant breasts wrapped in prosciutto and an earthy chestnut-mushroom duxelles, sealed in glossy all-butter puff pastry. It's the whole autumn woodland in one golden parcel — and it slices like a dream.

Per serving: 872 kcal · 56.0g protein · 58.0g carbs · 46.0g fat

Ingredients

• 4 pheasant breasts (about 140g each), skinless
• 300g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
• 150g cooked peeled chestnuts, finely chopped
• 2 banana shallots, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves, chopped
• 50g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 75ml Madeira or dry sherry
• 2 tbsp double cream
• 8 slices prosciutto
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 500g all-butter puff pastry, chilled
• 1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt
• Flaky sea salt and black pepper
• Plain flour, for dusting

Method

1. Melt half the butter with 1 tbsp oil in a wide pan. Cook the shallots gently for 5 minutes, add garlic, mushrooms, chestnuts and thyme, and cook over medium-high heat for 12–15 minutes until all moisture has gone and the mixture looks dark and jammy.
2. Pour in the Madeira and let it bubble away completely, then stir in the cream and season well. Spread on a tray to cool fully.
3. Season the pheasant. Heat the remaining butter and oil in a frying pan and sear the breasts for 60 seconds per side, just to colour. Cool, then brush all over with Dijon.
4. Lay 4 slices of prosciutto on cling film in a slightly overlapping rectangle. Spread with half the duxelles, sit two pheasant breasts head-to-tail in the middle, then roll up tightly into a firm cylinder, twisting the ends. Repeat with the remaining prosciutto, duxelles and pheasant. Chill 30 minutes.
5. Roll the pastry on a floured surface to 3–4mm and cut into two rectangles big enough to wrap each log. Unwrap a chilled log onto pastry, brush the edges with egg, roll up and seal, trimming excess. Place seam-side down on a lined tray. Repeat.
6. Brush all over with egg, score lightly with the back of a knife, sprinkle with flaky salt and chill 20 minutes. Heat oven to 200°C fan / 220°C conventional.
7. Bake for 25–28 minutes until deep golden and puffed; a probe in the centre should read 62–65°C.
8. Rest 10 minutes, then slice each Wellington into thick rounds. Serve with buttered greens, roast roots and a Madeira gravy.