Cuban Mojo Pheasant Legs

The Countryside Alliance's Shooting Campaign Manager, Roger Seddon, has handed over one of his favourite pheasant recipes. This dish brings vibrant colour and aroma to the oft under-used pheasant leg. Mojo pheasant is so quick and easy. Perfect for dinner parties, it can be prepared the night before eating - the longer the marination, the better.

Top tip: This recipe is best used in the late season, when the birds are that bit bigger. The marination and basting processes result in the meat remaining deliciously moist and succulent. 

Ingredients 

• 4 Pheasant legs (best if skin left on) 
• 1 Orange, half cut into thin half-moon slices, half zested then juiced 
• Juice of ½ a lime 
• Olive Oil – 80 ml 
• Fresh Coriander – a handful 
• Fresh Mint – 2 tbsp 
• Garlic – 3 cloves 
• Ground Cumin – 1 tsp 
• Dried Oregano – 1 tsp 
• Salt – a good pinch 
• Pepper – 10 grinds 

Method 

1. In a blender, add the fresh mint, ¾ of the fresh coriander, olive oil, orange juice and zest, garlic, ground cumin, oregano, lime juice, salt and pepper. Blitz until a green, and fairly smooth. 
2. Put the pheasant legs into a dish and coat well with the marinade. 
3. Cover the dish and put in the fridge for at least 3 hours, overnight is better. 
4. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C fan. 
5. In a baking tray, lay out the legs, skin down and cover with marinade, then distribute the orange slices amongst the legs. 
6. Bake for 15 minutes 
7. Remove from the oven and turn over the legs to be skin side up, baste with the juices in the tray. 
8. Bake for further 15 minutes. 
9. Plate the legs, with all the herbaceous juices spooned over them, the orange slices as an edible garnish and the remaining fresh coriander chopped and sprinkled on top. Serve with rice and seasonal greens.