Locally sourced food is important to us and this recipe has fast become a favourite for the winter season and is on our specials boards now! The recipe is also featured in the December issue of Places and Faces Magazine!
(All images taken by Adrian Rawlinson at Places and Faces Magazine).
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 x beetroot
Apple juice
Vegetable oil
200 ml beef stock
200 ml red wine
2 x parsnips
Quarter pack of butter
Salt and pepper to season
240 ml single cream
2 x large potatoes
Small bunch of fresh thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 x whole partridge
Bag of kale
1. First, add the beetroot to a pan, cover in a ‘half and half’ mixture of apple juice and water and boil for a minimum of 4-6 hours until tender. Leave to cool in the liquid and then peel and portion into wedges. Set aside for later.
2. Then, remove the legs from the partridge, place into a pan and cover with vegetable oil. Poach on a low gas heat or preheat the oven to 130˚C for 2 hours until soft.
3. Next, make the sauce. We make our partridge stock fresh in house, but a good beef stock will work just as well, reduced down with the same quantity of red wine. Set aside.
4. Peel and chop the parsnips and then place in a pan with a knob of butter. Add a cup of cold water, season and then bring to the boil. Simmer for 4-5 minutes and then add 240 ml of single cream. Keep simmering for another 5 minutes until the parsnips are tender. Then, blitz with the liquid in a blender until the puree is of a thick consistency. Add water if too thick or reduce down in a pan on a medium heat to thicken.
5. Preheat the oven to 180˚C / 350˚F. Place the beetroot wedges from earlier and roast for 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, grate the potatoes and season. Then, place into a tea towel and squeeze out the excess liquid. Remove the stalks off the thyme and then chop the leaves. Add to the potato mix, along with the remainder of the butter and mould into a ‘patty’. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, add the potato mix and push down firmly. Fry on all sides until golden and crispy.
7. Next, blanch the birds in salted water for 4 minutes on a rapid boil. Remove and set aside to dry. Add a knob of butter to a pan and seal the birds so all sides are golden. Roast in the oven for 4 minutes or until the juices run clear.
8. Blanch the kale in a pan with boiling water until tender and then drain.
9. Finally, cut the rosti into four portions. Swirl the parsnip puree onto the plates and place the rosti on top alongside the kale. Add the partridge and pour the sauce (reheated if required) over the top of the bird to finish.
(Recipe created and cooked by Oli Burnside, joint owner and head chef at The Plough and Sail).