ROASTED PARTRIDGE WITH A RED CURRENT JUNIPER STOCK JUS

Cast Iron Cooking

Not only is this a juicy succulent full of flavour bird, the carcass makes the most amazing deep flavoured stock sauce.  Pan roasted in a cast iron skillet and basted in butter this is a simple quick cook that delivers a little wow factor at the dinner table.

Ingredients

(serves 2)

2 partridges (local farm butchers)

50g butter

1 glug olive oil

1 large carrot diced

1 small onion diced

1 cloves garlic diced

1 rib of celery diced

1 bay leaf

1 fresh sage leaf

2 juniper berries

2 whole black peppercorns

1 pinch black pepper

1 pinch sea salt

150ml red wine 

200ml water

1 tbsp red current jelly

First take the breasts and legs off the carcass keeping the skin on, this will protect the delicate meat during cooking, next get the stock going, in a cast iron skillet sear the carcass all over in a little butter and olive oil turn the heat down a little, add the mirepoix of carrot, onion, garlic, celery and bay leaf soften for 10 minutes, add the water, juniper and whole black peppercorns and bring to a gentle simmer for 20 minutes, strain the liquid through a sieve and return to the pan on a low heat.  In a separate pan reduce the wine by half and then add to the stock sauce along with the red current jelly, season to taste with salt and pepper and a a large knob of butter, keep warm while you cook the partridge.

Heat a skillet medium hot add the butter, olive oil and the partridge legs skin side down, add the breasts one minute later, sear for a couple of minutes on each side then turn the heat down low to finish, add the sage leaf and cookfor a a further couple of minutes turning over once more, continuously spooning the butter over the partridges, remove from the pan and leave to rest for 3-5 minutes.  Serve the partridges with buttery creamy mashed potatoes (recipe below) and you gorgeous stock jus.

Serve with This Glorious Buttery Creamy Mashed Potato

1 kg peeled halved potatoes

250g butter (YES!)

100ml double cream

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Sea salt and white pepper

Simple method to ensure the best fluffy mashed potatoes, rinse the potatoes and then place in a large pan with cold water and a good pinch of salt, bring to a rolling simmer and cook until fork tender, the reason to boil potatoes from cold is to ensure the potatoes cook all the way through evenly, if you add potatoes to boiling water the outside cooks quicker than the centre which can lead to soft wet mashed potatoes!  Drain and leave the potatoes to steam dry in the colander for a few minutes, meanwhile place the saucepan back on the lowest heat, add the butter and cream to slowly warm up, add back the potatoes along with the vinegar salt and pepper, mash to your choice of consistency, I’m super smooth but my husband likes lumpy!