Duck and Game

Partridge with bacon and chestnuts

This also works with pheasant

1 tbsp juniper berries
4 oven-ready partridges
salt and freshly ground black pepper
25g butter
1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, finely sliced
4 rashers rindless streaky bacon, cut into 2cm / 1in slices
3-4 bushy sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp plain flour
5 tbsp dry gin
100 ml orange juice (about 1 large orange)
200 ml red wine
350ml chicken stock
2 tbsp cranberry sauce or redcurrant jelly
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
200g cooked and peeled chestnuts, halved

Crush the juniper seeds in a pestle and mortar, then sprinkle the juniper seeds over all the partridges, pressing lightly into the skin. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Melt the butter with the oil in a large flame-proof casserole over a medium heat. Add the partridges to the

casserole and fry for a couple minute breast-side down until nicely browned. Turn and fry on each of the remaining three sides for a further minute until browned allover. Remove them and set aside.

Reduce the heat and gently fry the onion, bacon and thyme for 5-6 minutes until the onions are soft and the bacon done.

Add the flour into the pan, stir well and cook for about five minutes, then add the gin and orange juice and bubble for a few seconds before slowly stirring in the wine and chicken stock.

Spoon the cranberry sauce or redcurrant jelly on top, stir in the orange zest

and chestnuts and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Gently return the partridges to the pan and cover with a lid then cook over a low heat for an hour or so.

• 10
• 20
• 50
• < Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 7
• Next >