Pheasant Soup is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic game soup made from pheasant cooked with vegetables in a beef-based stock thickened with breadcrumbs and hard-boiled egg yolks. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Pheasant Soup.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
179. INGREDIENTS.—2 pheasants, 1/4 lb. of butter, 2 slices of ham, 2 large onions sliced, 1/2 head of celery, the crumb of two French rolls, the yolks of 2 eggs boiled hard, salt and cayenne to taste, a little pounded mace, if liked; 3 quarts of stock No. 105. Mode.—Cut up the pheasants, flour and braise them in the butter and ham till they are of a nice brown, but not burnt. Put them in a stewpan, with the onions, celery, and seasoning, and simmer for 2 hours. Strain the soup; pound the breasts with the crumb of the roll previously soaked, and the yolks of the eggs; put it to the soup, give one boil, and serve.
Time.—2-1/2 hours. Average cost, 2s. 10d. per quart, or, if made with fragments of gold game, 1s.
Seasonable from October to February.
Sufficient for 10 persons.
Note.—Fragments, pieces and bones of cold game, may be used to great advantage in this soup, and then 1 pheasant will suffice.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
2 pheasants
115g butter
2 slices of ham
2 large onions, sliced
1/2 head of celery, chopped
200g breadcrumbs (preferably made from French bread)
2 hard-boiled egg yolks
sea salt and cayenne pepper, to taste
pinch of ground mace (optional)
3l medium stock
Method:
Joint the pheasant and cut into serving pieces. Melt the butter in a pan, add the ham and pheasant pieces and braise until well browned (but do not burn). Turn the pieces into a stockpot then add the onions, celery and seasonings. Pour over the stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 2 hours. Strain the soup then remove the breasts.
Take the breast meat and pound to a paste with the breadcrumbs and the egg yolks (best done if the breadcrumbs are soaked in a little stock beforehand).
Whisk the paste into the soup, return to a boil and serve hot.
