This dinner party partridge recipe, from The Olive Tree in Bath, takes some effort but is sure to impress game-loving guests.
Serves 4
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- 4 whole partridges
- 5 baby globe artichokes
- 2 large leeks (not too much green on top)
- 200g peeled hazelnuts or 15 cob nuts if available
- 1 small summer truffle
- 200g butter
- 2 lemons, juiced
For the artichoke cooking liquor:
-
- 1 litre water
- 100ml white wine
- 1 small onion
- 20g salt
- 10g white peppercorns (in a money bag)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs thyme
For the partridge sauce:
-
- 300ml Riesling wine
- 1 small onion, cut into rings half a cm thick)
- 250g button mushrooms, washed and sliced thin
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 2 cloves garlic
1. First place the birds with the breasts sides up on a tray, the skin should be all intact.
2. With some tweezers remove any remaining feathers, then make sure all guts are removed and then wash and dry the birds well.
3. Preheat the oven to 200C / Gas 6.
4. Place 100g butter in a hot pan, and once foaming place the partridge in, breast side down, for 2 minutes. Once golden, turn and colour the other breast for 2 minutes. Place in the oven for 4 minutes.
5. Turn to the other breast and cook for another 4 minutes, adding a cube of butter. Now turn so the breasts are facing up and cook for 3 -4 minutes, basting with the butter from the pan.
6. Once cooked, test with a probe between the legs to 75C. Allow to rest on a wire rack until needed. You can serve on the bone or take off the bone like in the picture.
7. For the sauce, heat the roasting juices, add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes till slippery-looking.
8. Reduce the Riesling separately by a third. Add the garlic and thyme to the onions, then the flour. Cook out to a paste over a low heat. Add the chicken stock and the reduced Riesling. Simmer for 5 minutes .Once you have your consistency, strain through a sieve and serve.
9. For the garnish, place the all the ingredients for the artichoke liquor in a medium-sized pan.
10. Separately, add the 2 juiced lemons to 1 litre of water. This is for dipping the artichokes in to stop them discolouring.
11. Using a serrated knife, remove a quarter of the way up the artichoke from the tip. Then carefully remove the outside, trying to remove the skin only. Dip into the lemon water to stop discolouring. Trim down the stalk and dip in water again.
12. Once the skin is removed place in the liquor and bring to the boil, then simmer till just soft using a knife to test between where the heart meets the stalk. Allow to cool in the liquor. These can be done a couple of days in advance to improve the flavour.
13. To serve, cut in half and remove the fluffy choke, pan fry till golden and serve.
14. Wash the leeks well, then steam until tender. Portion into 2cm slices and pan fry till golden.
15. Chop the hazelnuts, slice the truffle and serve as per the picture.