Game is now in season, so why not mix it up a bit with this roast partridge recipe?
Ingredients:
4 partridge crowns, legs separate
Salt, pepper, thyme and garlic to cover the partridge legs
100g duck fat
Finely chopped shallot and herbs of your choice
Plain flour and a beaten egg
200g breadcrumbs
2 heads of celeriac
6 apples
1 large gherkin, finely chopped
30 capers, finely chopped
3 sprigs parsley
Lemon juice
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
100g cream
Pinch of five spice
Grab some partridge from one of our local meat producers here. You can find the other ingredients at our local shops and delis.
Method:
Start off with the most fiddly bit of the recipe, the legs. Cover them with a mixture of salt, pepper, thyme and garlic and leave for an hour before cooking. Then rinse off the spices and place in the duck fat, cooking at 90 degrees for up to four hours. Allow the legs to cool in the fat and once cooled, take the meat from the bones.
Check that it is free from bone and any shot.
Finely chop the shallot and herbs and add to the meat, weigh the mixture, it should be around 40g. Shape into balls and refrigerate.
When you’re ready, cover the balls in flour, coat with an egg wash and then cover in breadcrumbs and cook in a shallow pan.
Next, start on the celeriac remoulade. Mix the mayo, mustard, capers, gherkins, parsley and lemon juice in a large bowl with a little salt and pepper, mixing together. Peel and quarter the celeriac and grate, stirring into the sauce until evenly coated.
Next, the apple puree. Core the apples, but leave the skin on. Place in a pan with a dash of cream and some five space and cook for 40 minutes on a low heat. When cooked, blend in a food processor, if it is too thick, thin it out with a little cider.
Once these bits are done, cook the partridge. Colour in a pan until golden brown then place in the oven at 170 degrees for 6 minutes. Allow to rest and then take the breasts off at the last minute.
