Pheasant Breasts With Moroccan Spiced Beans, Garlic And Tomatoes

A few years back on a trip to Morocco, I was delighted to see pheasants and grouse still in feather, hanging on hooks in the medinas/markets ready to be sold.

- Gordon Hamersley

Each bird had a tag on its leg with the stamp of the king – proof that they had been harvested legally with permission. Of course, thanks to Teddy Roosevelt and a committed band of conservationists, the United States banned market hunting at the turn of the last century and kept vast expanses of land open to public hunting. Something we should never take for granted.

The markets in Morocco are old-fashioned by American standards, a dazzling array of goods in small stalls packed together in a web of riotous color. The scene is loud and alive with commerce. We picked our way down narrow market paths and chose beautiful fresh vegetables and exotic smelling spices as we wandered.

A wonderful way to serve pheasant in the summer is with fresh beans, garlic and tomatoes. A simple but very aromatic Moroccan spice mixture called ras el hanout added to the pan will fill your kitchen with heady exotic aromas and add zest to both the beans and the bird. The mixture comes with a bit of a cachet as it can contain as many as 100 spices including the infamous Spanish Fly.