Pheasant for christmas dinner

RAS

I think pheasant is a good idea for Christmas, certainly what I have served when we were two. The meat is stronger - more like the leg meat off turkey; how strong depends on how long it was hung. If you buy frozen from the supermarket, not likely to be hung at all.

I agree that a mix of roast veggies is a good idea; pheasant will live up to the strong flavours and you get a lot for one dish in the oven. I would contrast that with a single green vegetable, preferably red Russion kale, clean flavour and not chewy. You need a sauce and i would roast on the breast.

Left-overs make decent sandwich or filler for a baked potato.

Seakay

don't make game chips - get some posh crisps (kettle or something like that) or the ones with reduced or seperate salt and warm them in a bowl in the oven with foil over - delicious. That's what my mum used to do and she was very big on home made but not on the smell of deep fat frying! If you don't want to cook veg then a watercress and orange salad is also traditional and very refreshing, or even just some watercress.
A half amount of this recipe should work:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/orangeandwatercresss_13958
you could always use blood oranges if you wanted to add some deeper colour.
Alternatively, a puree of brussel sprouts adds some sauce if you don't want to bother making the traditional bread sauce and is a milder taste that plain boiled brussels. I don't have a processor so do mine in the liquidizer and it works just as well. Hold back a little cooking water in case you need more liquid to process them:
Pur!ed Brussels sprouts
Serves 4
1lb/450g really fresh sprouts
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp double cream
At least a quarter of a nutmeg, grated
Salt and pepper
Boil or steam the sprouts until just done, tip into a processor and add large quantities of cream, butter and seasoning, including lots of nutmeg. Whizz until pureed and serve. Can be reheated over a very gentle heat or kept warm covered in the bottom of the oven.