Scots Pheasant - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 pheasant, oven-ready
1/2 cup butter, divided
2 lbs apples, Cox's preferred, peeled, cored, and sliced (6 cups)
2/3 cup single cream, divided (coffee cream)
1/4 cup drambuie
salt and pepper (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F.
Melt half the butter in a skillet.
Add pheasant and brown on all sides.
Remove pheasant to a plate.
Melt remaining butter.
Add apples and cook until they begin to color.
Place half the apples in a casserole dish.
Put pheasant in the casserole breast down.
Arrange remaining apples around bird.
Pour in half the cream.
Cover and bake for 40 minutes.
Turn bird over and cook for 35 minutes more.
Remove casserole from oven.
Increase heat to 450\u00b0F
Pour Drambuie and remaining cream over bird.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Return to oven for 5-10 minutes.