Partridge Kiev Recipes

PARTRIDGE KIEV

Steps:

• Make a garlic butter by peeling and pounding the garlic with a good pinch of sea salt in a pestle and mortar until you have a paste.
• Add the butter, then pick, finely chop and add the parsley leaves. Continue pounding until well mixed.
• Spoon the butter onto a piece of greaseproof paper and tightly roll up into a log shape, twisting each end like a Christmas cracker to seal.
• Place it in the fridge and leave it to chill for at least 20 minutes to firm up.
• Lay the partridge breasts, smooth side down, on a chopping board, then make a small incision in the thick part of each fillet, making sure you don't cut all the way through, to make a little pocket.
• Cut 4 knobs of garlic butter off the log (using about half of it) and stuff one in each pocket, then cover the incision with a flap of the fillet. Save the rest of the garlic butter for another day.
• Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
• Scatter the flour on a plate with a good pinch of salt and black pepper, then whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl and place next to the flour. Put the breadcrumbs in a separate shallow bowl.
• Dip each partridge fillet in the flour (shaking off the excess), then in the egg (letting any extra run off), then coat in the breadcrumbs.
• Heat a lug of oil in a large ovenproof pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the partridge kievs for a couple of minutes on each side, or until lightly golden.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and continue to cook the kievs for 8 to 10 minutes, or until dark golden and cooked through.
• Serve straight away with lemon wedges and a crisp garden salad, if you like.

NORTHERN ONTARIO PARTRIDGE (RUFFED GROUSE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the slices of bacon in the skillet and fry until they have released their juices, but are not crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside. Place the partridge breast halves into the pan, and brown them quickly, about 2 minutes per side.
• Remove the partridge pieces, and wrap each one with two slices of bacon. Secure with toothpicks. Pour enough of the drippings from the skillet into a baking dish to cover the bottom. Place the partridge pieces into the dish along with the chicken broth, white wine, shallots, garlic, salt and black pepper.
• Roast uncovered for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove drippings from the baking dish using a turkey baster, and place in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Serve gravy with partridge.