February 1st is the last day of the partridge shooting season in England, Scotland and Wales, so that being today it’s a great opportunity to share this recipe so that you can make the most of this wonderful game bird before it’s off the menu for another six months.
Partridge isn’t just for The Twelve Days of Christmas, and this delicate tasting game bird offers a great introduction to cooking and eating wild game. They are small so a single partridge is perfect for feeding one to two people (which looks great when cooking for friends or family) and their pale flesh and delicate flavour isn’t a million miles away from chicken – they’re certainly not as punchy as other game birds. In this recipe, I use a spice rub to flavour the bird, and pair it with the sweetness of roast apples and creamed cauliflower. It’s a great seasonal Sunday roast for the winter months, so visit your butcher this week or next whilst they’re still available!
INGREDIENTS
1 x partridge (½ pp)
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
½ smoked paprika
1 tsp sumac
1 x apple
1 x cauliflower
50g butter
25g double cream
25g milk
2 tbsp Dukka
Salt
Olive oil
METHOD
Pre heat your oven to 190 c. For the cauliflower puree, For the cauliflower purée,
melt the butter in a large pan over a low to medium heat and add the cauliflower
florets. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly until they are just beginning to
colour.
Add the milk and cream, season well with salt and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid
and simmer gently for 8-12 minutes, depending on their size, or until the cauliflower
is really soft. Season and blender with a hand blender. Put it to the side.
Then start by heating up a frying pan with a little oil and then brown the bird all over,
then season with the spices and salt generously. Put the partridge onto a baking tray,
and into the oven. 12-15 minutes.
Core and cut the apple into wedges, then in the same pan as the partridge was
coloured in. Add the apple quarters with a dash of oil and salt until golden brown,
transfer on the baking with the partridge for 2 mins.
When the partridge is cooked, warm up the puree and plate up. Sprinkle the dukka
on top to finish the dish.
For more recipes like this and to learn more about the wonderful world of game cookery, join us on our next Game Workshop course on Thursday March 9th.