Roast Pheasant Stuffed With Chestnut Bread Dressing

• 4 cups finely cubed fresh white bread
• 23 cup finely diced celery
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped celery leaves
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried crushed sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups peeled, cooked chestnuts, quartered
• 1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients except butter and pheasants with 1/2 cup of broth in a large bowl.
3. Add 6 tablespoons of the butter.
4. Stir until mixture is well combined.
5. Clean the insides of the birds well with a damp cloth.
6. Fill each bird with as much of the dressing as it will comfortably hold.
7. Pin or stitch the cavity closed.
8. Place the remaining dressing in a casserole.
9. Set aside.
10. Brush the remaining butter over the skin of each pheasant.
11. Place pheasants in a large, deep roasting pan, breast side down.
12. Cover.
13. Roast for 30 minutes.
14. Meanwhile, stir enough chicken broth into the remaining dressing to moisten it to your taste.
15. Reduce heat to 350 degrees.
16. Uncover.
17. Place dressing in oven with pheasants.
18. Roast pheasants until juices run clear when pricked with a fork in the thickest part, about 30 additional minutes.
19. Remove pheasants and dressing from oven.
20. Remove the birds from the pan.
21. Let stand for 10 minutes.
22. Cut each bird in half lengthwise.
23. Serve, passing additional dressing separately.

fresh white bread, celery, celery, onion, thyme, sage, salt, freshly ground black pepper, chestnuts, chicken broth

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/375 (may not work)