Summer Watermelon and Grilled Pheasant with Ponzu Sauce
Try this delightful appetizer that blends umami flavors and watermelon sweetness with sliced pheasant
I have a confession. I am not refined. My level of culinary knowledge is largely limited to the restaurants in which I have worked and dishes in which I have found personal interest. Said differently, I am not a voracious reader of cookbooks. But every now and then, I get out of my house, my shell, and explore some fancier restaurants whose cooks are more inspired than myself.
The Belmont in Wichita, Kansas, is one such example, thanks to a suggestion from a friend. For lunch, I enjoyed their ahi tuna appetizer, served with ponzu and togarashi—two things I don’t believe I’ve experienced before. I found the flavor combinations both eclectic and unique but also perfectly balanced. Of course, upon returning home, I had to try to replicate it with wild game. Pheasant breast is used here but other light meat game birds such as quail or chukar will work too.
The ingredients listed here are, generally speaking, accessible at most grocers. If you can find bonito flakes instead of smoking your own salmon skin, feel welcome to go that route. Sake instead of white wine in the sauce will produce a more authentic flavor as well. The togarashi spice mix listed is very simple, but you may have access to other ingredients, in which case you can dress up your spice mix. The goal of togarashi is a blend of spice and savory (umami) with a hint of sweetness.
Lastly, the compressed watermelon aspect is not crucial. It requires a chamber vacuum sealer, which I recommend for any hunter if it can fit in the budget. However, if you don’t have one, just slice the watermelon and soak it in white wine. Compressed watermelon may concentrate flavor, but it is not essential here.
Summer Watermelon and Grilled Pheasant with Ponzu Sauce
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- If possible, slice the watermelon and seal it with white wine in a chamber vacuum sealer. Let it sit in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.
- If you don’t have access to bonito flakes (dried fish flakes), you can carve off 6 inches of skin from a salmon fillet and smoke the skin at 225 F for a couple of hours for the ponzu sauce. You may also wish to smoke the orange zest slices during this time (but only for 1 hour or less).
- To make the ponzu sauce, add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring it to a low simmer. Simmer on low or medium-low for 1 ½ hours. When done, strain it through a coffee filter or paper towel so only the liquids remain.
- While the sauce simmers, add all the Togarashi spice ingredients to a blender or spice grinder and thoroughly blend until its finely ground. Set aside the Togarashi spice mix.
- Thickly slice the pheasant breasts and keep the tenderloins as their own pieces. Lightly dust them with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Once the sauce and spice mix are ready and the watermelon slices have marinated for at least 2 hours, grill the pheasant hot and fast, approximately 2 minutes per side, over a 600-degree or higher fire or grill grate.
- Let the pheasant meat rest. While it rests, carve the avocados and smash their contents to the texture of guacamole. Thinly slice the jalapeños.
- To serve, add the watermelon slices to a plate and drizzle the ponzu sauce over top. Next, add a bit of avocado to each slice, followed by a pheasant slice. Then, top with a slice of jalapeño. Secure everything with a toothpick and sprinkle Togarashi spice over the top.
