Sauteed Pheasant with Orange Gravy

Sauteed Pheasant with Orange Gravy
a Jennifer original

2 leg/thigh pieces pheasant (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1/8 tsp pepper
1 TBSP cooking oil
1 TBSP butter
1/2 shallot, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
2 TBSP brown sugar, firmly packed
2 TBSP granulated sugar
2 TBSP orange peel
1 1/2 TBSP vermouth
1/4 cup water mixed with 1 tsp corn starch

Season pheasant with pepper. In a skillet over medium heat, melt oil and butter. Saute shallot until soft - about 2 minutes. Add pheasant for browning, about 3 minutes per side. Add chicken broth, cover, and simmer about 20 minutes, turning pheasant at the halfway point. Remove pheasant and keep warm. Add orange juice, brown sugar, sugar, orange peel, vermouth. Increase heat and reduce mixture in pan by about 1/2 the volume. Add water/corn starch mixture and stir to thicken.

Notes: Yum. Fresh Penzey's orange peel made this a very bright sauce. I was very pleased with how this came out and will certainly make it again at some point.