Pheasant Leg and Duck Egg Mini Tortilla

 

Pheasant leg and duck egg mini Spanish tortilla

A traditional Spanish tortilla can perhaps be described as an extra thick omelette containing onion and potato, usually cooled and cut into segments (like pizza) for serving. I have stayed true to tradition by keeping the potato and onion in the recipe but I have substituted the chicken eggs for duck eggs and added some deliciously tender pheasant leg meat and garden peas. I also served this tortilla hot.

Skinless pheasant legs in slow cooker

I have experimented with cooking pheasant legs many different ways over the years, but frankly, I would not cook them any other way these days than in the slow cooker. They take 10 hours at low setting to cook to tender perfection, so I generally cook them overnight, simply with water, salt and a teaspoon of dried thyme.

Cooked pheasant legs are left to cool

When the pheasant legs are done, lift them from the slow cooker to a plate with a slotted spoon, cover and leave to rest and cool. You should then take the time to carefully pluck the meat from the bones in small chunks. This can be quite a laborious and time consuming job, particularly if the tendons are still in place in the lower section of the leg, but don't rush it as you don't want one of the tendons or bones in a mouthful of your meal.

Cook Time (not including Pheasant Leg cooking)

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 10 min

Ready in: 25 min

Yields: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 3 duck eggs
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or sunflower oil
• 2 tablespoons half-inch/1.25cm diced potato chunks
• 1/2 small red onion, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons cooked, cooled and flaked pheasant leg meat
• Smoked paprika
• Chopped parsley to garnish

Method

Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil before adding the frozen peas. Simmer for 3 minutes before draining and setting aside to partly cool.

Break the duck eggs into a large bowl and mix with a fork until the yolks and albumens are just combined.

Potato and onion are added to hot oil

Pour the cooking oil into a large, non-stick frying pan or skillet and bring it up to a medium heat. Add the potato and onion and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon, until the potato is cooked and the onion is softened.

Pheasant meat and peas are added to cooked onion and potato

Add the peas and pheasant meat and saute for a further couple of minutes just to ensure they are fully reheated.

Combined duck eggs are carefully poured into frying pan

Carefully pour the combined eggs over the other ingredients in the pan and turn up the heat to medium to high, Put your kitchen grill (broiler) on to preheat to its highest setting.

Traditionally, a tortilla is partly cooked before being turned with the aid of a second pan to cook on the other side. In this instance, I cooked the tortilla for a few minutes until I could see the eggs were mostly set before I scattered over a little smoked paprika and placed the pan under the grill to complete the cooking process. Note that this probably wouldn't work quite so well with the conventional, inch or more thick style of tortilla and a second pan would be required.

Pheasant leg and pea tortilla is ready to serve

When the tortilla is completely set, slide it carefully from the pan with the aid of a spatula and garnish with the chopped parsley for service.