One of the hardest things for me at this time of year is deciding which roast to enjoy on Christmas day.
A quality turkey cooked well can be really tasty, but I also love the stronger, punchier flavour of goose.
There are years when we’ve also enjoyed an incredible juicy roast rib of beef as our centrepiece too.
A more unusual alternative, but one of my personal favourites is partridge.
Whether you feel like a change from the classics on Christmas Day itself, or you’re entertaining at home over the festive period, partridge is a truly delicious option to try at this time of year as it is at its seasonal best.
In Scotland we are incredibly lucky to have access to such a variety of superb, local, quality game and partridge is wonderful, especially if you are a newcomer to game or prefer just a hint of that gamey flavour.
The partridge is a small bird so one bird should feed one person. That’s another reason I think it’s so perfect to serve on Christmas Day or at a festive dinner party.
What could be more of a joy than serving up a beautiful plate of food where everyone gets their own whole bird to cut and carve themselves on the plate. It saves the cook time carving and trying to keep everything warm, and it also means everyone gets to try all the different parts of the bird, relishing all the wonderful variety of tastes and textures from the different cuts.
The trick with partridge is to make sure you don’t overcook it because then you’ll find the meat is just too tough.
These birds really don’t need long in the oven and are best served pink and juicy. The key is to make sure you keep checking the bird regularly when you’re cooking and it’s also important to rest the bird – usually for about five minutes. If cooked right you’ll get a lovely rich, robust, intense flavour that just sings of winter comfort.
WHOLE ROASTED PARTRIDGE WITH WINTER VEGETABLES
SERVES 4
4 partridge – oven ready or pluck feathers and remove head, wings, wishbone, claws, internal organs and guts
8tbsp olive oil
1 celeriac – chopped into chunks
400g carrots – cut into slices
500g kale
Salt and pepper
FOR THE SAUCE
(make this first and set aside)
2tsp olive oil
3 shallots – finely chopped
2 partridge carcasses – chopped into small pieces
Half tsp black peppercorns
A few sprigs of Thyme
1 bay leaf
1tbsp sherry vinegar
500ml white wine
500ml chicken stock
Salt and pepper to season
FOR THE SAUCE
Brown the partridge bones in a heavy based pan until well caramelised and brown all over.
Tip out of the pan into a colander to drain the excess oil. Return pan to heat, add a little more oil and sauté the shallots until golden brown.
Add vinegar, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and drained bones.
Deglaze the pan with half of the wine and reduce to a syrup. Add the remaining wine and again, reduce to a syrup.
Add half the chicken stock and reduce to a syrup. Add the remaining stock and reduce to desired consistency. Strain sauce through a fine sieve.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep sauce in a warm place until ready to serve.
FOR THE PARTRIDGE
Heat the oven to 180°c. Season and roast the carrots and celeriac until tender.
Blanch the kale in salted water until just tender, and set aside until the birds are cooked.
Season the birds with salt and pepper – all over, including inside the cavity. Pan-fry in the olive oil in a hot pan on all sides until evenly golden brown. Transfer to the oven and roast for 6-8 minutes (approximately 6 minutes will produce slightly pink breasts, approximately 8 minutes, should be cooked all the way through).
Rest the birds in a warm place for 5 minutes with the legs elevated so that the juices run back down through the breasts. Serve the birds with the kale, root vegetables and sauce.
ROASTED PARTRIDGE WITH BRAISED LENTILS AND GIROLLES
SERVES 4
4 oven-ready partridges
4 rashers of bacon
Olive oil for cooking
50g bacon lardons
2 shallots, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
Bouquet garni
250g Puy lentils, rinsed and drained
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
200ml chicken stock
50g butter
100g girolles, cleaned
1tbsp sherry vinegar
Watercress sprigs to garnish
Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. To prepare the partridges, with a small, sharp knife, cut down either side of the wishbone and remove it.
Wrap the bacon rashers around the back of the partridges and tie with string (but not too tightly).
Heat a heavy-based saucepan over a medium-low heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.
Add the bacon lardons and cook gently for 2–3 minutes.
Add the shallots and carrots and sweat gently for 2–3 minutes, then add the garlic and bouquet garni. Now add the lentils to the pan and stir to mix with the shallots, carrots and bacon.
Season with a little salt and pour on the chicken stock to cover. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat and cook gently for 35–40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Heat a non-stick ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Season the partridges all over with salt and pepper and place in the pan.
Turn the birds as necessary over the heat for 3–4 minutes until they start to take on a lovely golden colour.
Add half the butter, allow it to melt and foam, then spoon over the birds to baste them.
Once the birds are coloured all over, put the pan into the oven. Roast for 8–10 minutes until the partridges are just cooked. Transfer the birds to a warm plate and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Add a drizzle of oil to the frying pan and place over a medium-high heat.
Add the girolles, season with a little salt and sauté for 1–2 minutes until they release their liquid; drain this off, then sauté the girolles for 30 seconds or so until golden and tender.
To finish the lentils, add the sherry vinegar and remaining butter. Remove the bacon from the birds.
Cut off the legs, then, using a sharp knife, take the breasts off the carcasses. Remove the skin from the legs and breasts. Divide the lentils and girolles between warm serving bowls and arrange the partridge breasts and legs on top. Drizzle over the resting juices from the tray. Garnish with watercress and serve.
ROASTED LEG OF PARTRIDGE WITH BRAISED CABBAGE PARCELS
SERVES 4
4 oven-ready partridges
4 rashers of bacon
Olive oil for cooking
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g butter
FOR THE VEGETABLES
50g bacon lardons
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into quarters
Olive oil
FOR THE CABBAGE PARCELS
1 medium savoy cabbage, trimmed
4 savoy cabbage leaves
100g bacon lardons
3 carrots, peeled and diced
Half a celeriac
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 small shallots
200ml water
2 apples
FOR THE GARNISH
Finely chopped, sliced apple
Watercress sprigs to garnish
FOR THE PARTRIDGE
Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. To prepare the partridges, take a small, sharp knife and cut down either side of the wishbone and remove it.
Wrap the bacon rashers around the back of the partridges and tie with string (but not too tightly).
Heat a non-stick ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.
Season the partridges all over with salt and pepper and place in the pan. Turn the birds as necessary over the heat for 3–4 minutes until they start to take on a lovely golden colour.
Add half the butter, allow it to melt and foam, then spoon over the birds to baste them. Once the birds are coloured all over, put the pan into the oven.
Roast for 8–10 minutes until the partridges are just cooked. Transfer the birds to a warm plate and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
FOR THE VEGETABLES AND BACON
Add the bacon lardons and quartered carrots to a roasting tin and drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven to roast for 20-30 minutes.
FOR THE CABBAGE PARCELS
Remove any coarse dark green outer leaves from the cabbage. Separate leaves and cut out the tough vein from each leaf. Shred the cabbage finely and set aside. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and briefly blanch the 4 savoy cabbage leaves.
Quickly refresh them in the ice water, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on some kitchen paper to drain.
Heat a heavy based sauté pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of oil. Add the bacon lardons and cook for 3-4 minutes until they start to crisp.
Now add the carrots, shallots, garlic and celeriac with a little salt and lower the heat. Cover and gently sweat for 4-5 minutes to soften without colouring. Add the shredded cabbage to the pan with the garlic and sweat gently for a further 3-4 minutes.
Pour in the water, turn up the heat and put the lid back on. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the cabbage is almost tender.
Meanwhile, peel, core and dice the apples and cook for a further 2 minutes until the cabbage is cooked.
Take the 4 savoy cabbage leaves, and place each on to a small sheet of oven film. With each one, spoon in a tablespoon of the cabbage mix, on top of a leaf and wrap gently to form a parcel. Drop into simmering water to cook.
TO SERVE
Remove the bacon from the birds. Cut off the legs, then, using a sharp knife, take the breasts of the carcasses. Remove the skin from the legs and breasts. Arrange a cabbage parcel on each plate and add the roasted carrot and bacon, then the thinly chopped, sliced apple. Drizzle over the resting juices from the tray. Garnish with watercress and serve.