This is an easy, hearty winter dish, one that’s tasty with any white meat birds you might have in the fridge. Pheasant is my favorite, but this casserole will also go well with partridge, quail, or ruffed grouse. If you’re one to serve wild game during the holidays, make this casserole in the days following if you have any meat still lingering in the fridge. This recipe can be served as a main dish or as a side.

If you don’t have leftover meat, seared or poached pheasant breasts will work. For pheasant thighs and/or legs, cook those cuts in a slow cooker with some broth until they’re pull-off-bone tender before adding the meat into the casserole. This is a to-taste kind of dish. You can add as much or as little pheasant as you like.

Although you don’t technically need a mandolin to slice the potatoes, having one at your disposal does mean the difference between an “easy” recipe and a more labor-intensive one.

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1. Trim leeks by cutting off the green tops and root ends. Slice the white/light green parts in half lengthwise and rinse between the layers to remove dirt and sand. Then, thinly slice the leeks. In a pan with a lid, melt a tablespoon of butter. Add sliced leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook on low, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When leeks become soft, turn off heat, and set aside.
2. Peel potatoes and cut into ⅛-inch slices with a mandolin (or knife). In a large bowl, toss potato slices with a teaspoon of kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. Grease a 2-quart gratin or casserole dish.
3. Layer about a third of the sliced potato in the bottom of the dish, overlapping them. Then distribute a third of the cooked leek, half of the pheasant meat, half of the grated cheddar and a third of the grated gruyere. Then repeat with another third of the potato slices, third of the leek, third of the gruyere, and remaining pheasant and cheddar. Finally, top off the casserole with remaining potato, leek, and gruyere cheese. Grate more gruyere and prepare more potato if needed. Place the casserole onto a rimmed cookie sheet and set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. In the pan where you cooked the leeks, melt a pat of butter with minced garlic, thyme, and bay leaf, and stir for 30 seconds over medium-low. Then add heavy cream and ground nutmeg, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often. Pour the cream mixture over the potato layers. Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the potatoes become tender. Then remove the foil and bake longer until golden on top, about 20 minutes. Allow casserole to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.