One of our customers gave me a partridge recipe he has been using regularly since 1996, so it has been tried and tested! I decided to try it at home but forgot to bring the recipe back, so made something similar with apples
Partridge and apples is a superb combination, although if you can’t get partridge, then guinea fowl or chicken thighs would work.
The original recipe comes from Josceline Dimbleby and is for Roast Partridges with Apple, Cobnuts and Brandy. My version pan-fried the lot with the addition of red onions, walnuts and wine instead of the brandy,
Roast Partridges with Apple, Cobnuts and Brandy (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 85g Butter
- 1 tbsp oil
- 4 partridge
- 5-6 cardamon pods
- 4-5 Cox’s apples
- 1tsp green peppercorns
- 3 tbsp brandy
- 300ml chicken stock
- 200g fresh cobnuts
- 200ml Crème fraîche
- handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
Method:
- Put 10g of the butter and oil into large casserole dish over high heat, melt the butter and add the partridge, turning until browned on all sides. Remove the partridge
- Extract the cardamon seeds and grind in pestle & mortar. Peel and core apples, and thickly slice.
- Add the rest of the butter into the pan over high heat, add the cardamon, peppercorns and apples, stirring for a few minutes.
- Add the partridge, breast side down and the brandy.
- Carefully light the brandy with a match and let burn off before adding chicken stock.
- Bring everything to a boil, then put a lid on and place in pre-heated oven at 190°C for 35-40 mins
- Shell the cobnuts
- Plate the partridge and apples, return the casserole dish to the hob and bring to the boil.
- Add the Crème fraîche and stir for a couple of minutes.
- Add the cobnuts, remove from the heat, season to taste, add the chopped parsley and pour over the partridge. Serve.
Partirdge with red onion, apple & walnuts (serves 2)
Ingredients:
- 2 partridge jointed (breast and legs)
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 1-2 tbsp of olive oil
- 12g butter
- 1 Cox apple cored
- 1 red onions, peeled and sliced into slim wedges
- handful of walnut pieces
- 25ml dry white wine
Method:
- In a heavy bottomed frying pan, add the oil and butter over medium heat.
- Add the sliced red onion and cook for 8 minutes, stirring
- Strip the rosemary sprigs and scatter over partridge with salt and pepper
- Add the partridge legs and the apple and cook for further 10 minutes
- increase the heat to medium high, add the partridge breast and cook for 4 minutes on each side.
- Remove the partridge and apple, add the walnuts and deglaze with the wine.
- Plate the partridge and apple, top with the walnuts and sauce and serve with mashed potatoes and braised cabbage.