Faison Rober (Pheasant)

1-4 Pheasants (or pheasant breasts)
1 1/2 - 4 large onions
3-7 apples (baking type)
1/2-1 tsp celery seed
1/2-4tsp black pepper
2-8 cans concentrated cream of mushroom soup
1/2 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
3/4 - 3 cups dry red wine
2 strips of bacon per bird
3-9 TBS butter

* note - variable quantities are listed depending on the number of birds being roasted and your taste

DO NOT USE FROZEN BIRDS. THAW FIRST!

Roasting the birds:
Preheat oven to 325. Core and slice the apples. Peel and thinly slice onions. Separate onions into rings. Place onions and apples in the bottom of the roaster. Sprinkle with celery seed. Add wine. Place pheasant breast side up on top of onions and apples. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Place bacon strips across bird. Cover and cook for 1-1/2 hours. Remove bird to cutting board to cool when done. Remove meat from bones and set aside.

Assemble the Sauce:
Melt butter in large dutch oven or stock pot. With a large spoon or spatula, press apples and onions agains the side of the roaster to remove as much liquid as possible. Add this liquid to the melted butter. Discard apples and onions. Add mushroom soup to pot. Add water or wine if needed to make sauce thinner. If you want thicker sauce, thicken with a paste of the liquid and 2 tablesppons of flour blended and stirred into the sauce.

Add pheasant meat to the pot and reheat over low heat. Serve over rice, wild and brown rice, noodles or along side stuffing.

NOTES:
Use good wine. Cooking wine is too salty. Remember, the alcohol evaporates and leaves the good taste behind.
This doesn't have a pretty color, but the taste makes up for it. Using Golden Cream of Mushroom soup might be more appealing to you, but I find it a bit saltier, so keep that in mind.
Finished recipe freezes well. If you make the recipe using multiples, be prepared with lots of storage containers.

Bon Apetit!
GG/Michele