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5 ounces (150 g) slab (side) bacon, rind removed and diced

2 sweet apples such as Fuji or Gala, peeled, cored, and sliced

2 tablespoons Cognac

1. Remove 4 large outside leaves from the cabbage and set aside. Quarter the cabbage, remove the core, and finely shred enough cabbage to make 8 cups (2 1).

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water. Drop the whole cabbage leaves into the boiling water and blanch for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Transfer them to the ice water. Once cold, drain on paper towels. Add the shredded cabbage to the boiling water and blanch for 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Drain in a colander and refresh under cold running water. Squeeze as much moisture out of the shredded cabbage as possible. Set aside.

3. Pat the pheasant dry. Season inside and out with salt and pepper, then truss it. Heat the duck fat in a Dutch oven or flameproof casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the bird and the reserved neck on all sides, then transfer to a plate. Lower the heat, add the onions and sugar to the pot, and cook, stirring until the onions begin to caramelize. Add the wine and bring to a boil, deglazing the pot by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Add the shredded cabbage, the bacon, and apples, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Dice the reserved pheasant liver.

5. Remove the lid from the pot, increase the heat, and cook, stirring, until all the moisture has evaporated. Remove from the heat, add the Cognac and diced liver, and season with salt and pepper. Push some of the cabbage mixture out to the sides of the dish to make a nest for the pheasant. Add the pheasant, breast side up, and cover with the 4 blanched cabbage leaves, then the lid. Place in the oven and cook for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the temperature in the thigh registers 180°F (82°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

6. Remove the pheasant from the pot, cut off trussing string, carve, and serve with the cabbage.

OTHER WISHBONES

Wishbone and merrythought have other meanings as well. Merrythought is the name of a wishbone-shaped bookbinding tool used in the late fifteenth and the sixteenth centuries.

During the 1970s a popular North American football formation was called the wishbone. In this play, the two fullbacks and the quarterback form a wishbone shape to pass the ball around the opposing defensive line.

Roasted Squab with Fresh Figs

Squab is a fancy word for pigeon. Unlike the birds that pollute our cities, however, these pigeons are specially bred and killed before they can fly, making them quite tender. Even farm-raised squab often have a touch of the liver flavor that game lovers crave. Keep the meat on the pink side, and make sure to let the birds rest before serving. A sharp steak knife is ideal for eating these birds—and encourage your guests to use their fingers to pull them apart. The squab I buy come with their heads and feet still attached, which I remove before roasting. If yours come the same way, ask your butcher to remove them for you, but take the pieces with you, then add them to the pan when you roast the birds to intensify the sauce. I also remove the wishbones (see page 153) from these birds before cooking. It’s a simple job, if a bit fiddly, and makes them easier to eat. Use green or purple figs or a mixture; it’s your choice.

4 squab, about 12 ounces (350 g) each, trimmed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

10 fresh figs

2 large oranges

4 thyme sprigs

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup (250 ml) Poultry Stock (page 130)

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Pat the squab dry and season inside and out with salt and pepper. Cut 2 of the figs into quarters. Using a vegetable peeler, remove 4 large strips of zest from 1 orange. Place 2 fig quarters, a strip of orange zest, and a thyme sprig inside each bird. Truss, or just tie the legs and the tail together, then fold the neck flap under, securing