CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS À LA ÅHLÉNS

Welcome to the Christmas at Åhléns 2009! Choose between red, black, white or grey.
A cosy and Nordic and folkloristic feel that will make any home warm and snug for the holidays. Of course, Åhléns is a department store chain in Sweden. But take some inspiration from it and find similar items at Ikea, Skandium (in London) etc.

WINTER WARMER WITH PHEASANT BREAST FOR SUPPER!

This Saturday we went on a little shopping trip to some organic farm shops in our area.
We found some lovely fresh pheasant breast and locally grown organic potatoes, Brussels sprouts and red cabbage. What a wonderful base for a cold Sunday winter supper! This is what I did!

For 4 you need

4 pheasant breasts
12 potatoes (butter and bread crumbs)
20 Brussels sprouts

1/2 medium sized red cabbage
1 large red onion
2 tbsp treacle
2 tbsp raisins
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
100 ml red wine
salt

For the red wine sauce

300 ml red wine
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 chicken stock cube
1 tbsp potato flour
2 tbsp water
salt and pepper

Start with the potatoes. This potato dish is called Hasselbackspotatis and is said to be created at a very famous restaurant/hotel in the Djurgården part of Stockhom with the same name Hasselbacken (Hazel Hill).
Put the oven on at 225 C. Cut the potatoes finely but not all the way through. Put them in a oven dish and drizzle some melted butter over them and sprinkle with a little bit of bread crumbs. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the red cabbage. Slice the onion and the cabbage finely. Fry gently with some butter in a saucepan. Add the raisins, brown sugar, treacle, vinegar and wine. Cook for approx 15 minutes and season with salt and pepper and a pinch of 5 spice (optional).

Season the pheasant breast with salt and freshly milled black pepper. Brown them in butter. Put them in an oven dish and add 100 ml of red wine. Cook in the oven at 200 C for approx 10 min. Take out to rest and keep warm.

When the breast is in the oven, make the red wine sauce.

Melt the sugar and add the red wine and stock cube. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Mix 1 tbsp of potato flour with 2 tbsp of water and add to the sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the wine from the pheasant breast and serve up.

Put the breast on top of the red cabbage. Cook the Brussels sprouts (preferably in the microwave for 6 minutes) and serve up together with the potatoes. Finally, pour a little bit of the red wine sauce on top! Serve immediately with some sauce on the side.