50g/1¾oz white onion, finely chopped
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves, crushed
2 crushed juniper berries
50ml/2fl oz rapeseed oil (or other non-scented oil)
2 pinches salt
1 slice white bread, broken into pieces
50ml/1¾fl oz ruby port
20g/¾oz unsalted butter (optional)
10g/¼oz unsalted butter
150ml/5fl oz full-fat milk
10g/¼oz small bacon lardons
2 pheasants (800-900g/1lb 12oz-2lb each), oven-ready, preferably hen pheasants
100ml/3½fl oz red wine