Partridge

[Fenlander]

I was shooting today and some how managed to put my lead into the piece of sky a partridge was flying into,

and then I did it again, ?? well come the end of the day ,when the bag was being split up ,I thought i'd have them ,

Now I've had many Pheasants before but never a Partridge,

 

So I was hoping someone could tell me the best way to cook them, and for how long?

 

I'm not looking for any complicated recipies,as if I start issuing Mrs Fenlander with a lot of do! this ,then do this! ,type of instructions,

she will tell me to do it my *****y self

 

so I was thinking of roasting them ,is this ok? and if it is ,for how long? (this is the important bit because she does tend to over do the Pheaseants and make them dry)

 

Many thanks Mick.

[sandersj89]

This is lovely but maybe too much faffing around for you:

 

Roast Pheasant or Partridge with Spiced Pears

 

I prefer not to shroud game birds in bacon. Instead I simply smother seasoned butter on top. The other secret to keeping game moist is to fill the cavity of the bird with butter and fruit. Blackberries, blueberries, cranberries or raspberries work well, as do grapes. In this recipe, I stuck to pears.

 

For partridge, allow one bird per person. A brace of pheasant will feed four people.

 

Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Fill the cavities of the birds with chunks of onion and pear and a sprig of thyme, put in some butter then season the cavity as well as you can with sea salt and black pepper. Smother the breasts of the birds with softened unsalted butter and season. Put the birds breast up in a roasting tin on a layer of sliced onion. (Pheasants take 20 minutes per lb/450g plus 10 minutes to cook, partridge takes 30 minutes altogether.)

 

Baste the birds every 10 minutes or they will dry out. A skewer inserted into the deepest part of the leg where it meets the carcass should bring some blood to the surface. Game is best eaten rare or medium rare rather than grey. Test by feeling how easily the skewer penetrates. If it goes through without resistance, the bird is cooked. If it meets resistance near the centre, it is probably not quite done.

 

Remove to a carving board to rest. Collect the juices after 10 minutes by emptying the cavity into the roasting tin. Add some port, Madeira, wine or Marsala and bubble down with the liver, heart and neck. Strain and put in a serving jug. There's no need for both bread sauce and spiced pears with game.

 

Spiced Pears

 

I urge you to make these spiced pears. They are my latest craze and I have eaten them with hare, pork and a blue cheese salad, as well as game, over the past few weeks. I used all the pears from the conference pear tree I planted a couple of summers ago. You need a firm cooking variety of pear. These are good warmed up in their cooking liquor or served cold. Half a pear per person may not be enough - they are so good you should allow a whole one.

 

1 red chilli, halved and seeded

1 bay leaf

1 sprig of rosemary

2 star anise

4 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

Pared rind of 2 organic lemons and their juice

1 lb/450g unrefined caster sugar

2 tbsp runny honey

1 pint/500ml Marsala

1 pear per person

Put all the ingredients bar the pears in a heavy-bottomed pan into which the fruit will fit snugly. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

 

Peel the pears, leaving the stalks on. Put them in the pan off the heat and add a little water if the liquor doesn't quite cover them. Bring to the boil again then simmer for 35-40 minutes or until the pears are cooked through. Cool in their liquor.

 

This will keep for a week in the fridge in a covered bowl. Reheat the pears in a little of the liquor in a pan, remove with a slotted spoon, quarter, core and serve.

 

Happy Eating and Happy Hunting.

[Teal]

Take about 20 minutes roasted in the usual way. Taste is brilliant, definitely one of the best gamebirds. Enjoy!

[Fenlander]

Thanks for the info chaps.

 

All the best Mick.