Pheasant Tortilla Soup

After a long day walking in the fields what better way to celebrate your successful hunt then with delicious home cooked meal from your hard earned bounty? Pheasant hunting has to be one of my favorite hunts from the crisp early mornings to the dogs hitting hard point on those beautiful roosters. Not only do I love hunting them but I love eating them more. If you’ve never eaten pheasant imagine a richer flavored leaner chicken. I made this recipe for my wife’s work Christmas party a couple years ago and its soon become not only a family favorite but everyone’s favorite. My wife’s coworker asked if I would make her some over the weekend because she’s been craving it.  So here is the most coveted wild game recipe I’ve ever created.

Pheasant Tortilla Soup

From Field to Plate

 Ingredients:

1-2 whole cooked pheasants, meat pulled off bones

1 cup chopped cilantro

8 corn tortillas, roughly torn into pieces

8oz canned diced chilies

1 can fire roasted tomatoes with juices

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 can sweet corn, rinsed

1 medium red onion, sliced thin

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cracked pepper

½ teaspoon salt

8 cups pheasant or chicken stock

½ teaspoon cumin

For that extra kick you can add

2 jalapenos, chopped

1 poblano pepper, chopped

Directions:

1. In large stock pot or Dutch oven add olive oil, onion and garlic cooking over medium heat until onions start to sweat. Add cilantro, 4 torn tortillas and green chilies cook for another 3 minutes stirring continually.
2. Add stock, pheasant, spices, corn, beans and remaining 4 tortillas. Bring soup to a boil and reduce heat to simmer
3. Simmer for 1-2 hours allowing all the flavors to develop and the tortillas to fall apart.
5. Pour into your favorite bowl and top with your favorite toppings like cheese, avocado, sour cream or tortilla chips  
6. The tortillas act as the binder, this soup is 100% gluten free for those looking for a delicious soup they can make at home.