Game Bird Recipes

Partridge with Smoked Lardons, Apples & Brandy

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A plated dish of roast partridge with smoked lardons, caramelised apples, and a glossy brandy sauce

Partridge and apples arrive at much the same time of year, and they make good companions in the pot. The bird’s gentle flavour, milder than grouse, suits smoked bacon, cider and a little brandy, with the apples cooked whole alongside it.

Brown the birds briefly before braising them gently, then reduce the cooking juices once they’re out of the pot. The croutons go on at the end, giving you something crisp to soak up the sauce. Serve with a glass of cider or red wine.

For more ways to cook partridge, pheasant, grouse and wild mallard, see our game bird recipes.

Serves: 2

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

Method

  1. Preheat the grill.
  2. Leave the apples whole, stalks intact, and cut four long vertical incisions around each one. This will help them cook evenly.
  3. Heat a small lidded casserole dish until hot. Rub the partridges all over with a little oil, season generously with sea salt, and brown them quickly in the pan. Note: the browning should be done swiftly to avoid overcooking, as the birds will be braised afterwards. Transfer the birds to a plate.
  4. Add the onion, bay leaf, and lardons to the pan along with the butter and a good grind of black pepper. Over a low heat, gently sweat the onions until completely soft and tender. This usually takes 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
  5. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and reduce it completely. Add the brandy, allowing it to mostly evaporate but leaving a little moisture with the onions, then pour in the cider.
  6. Return the partridges to the pot along with the apples and carrots. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid, and regulate the heat so that the simmer remains low and steady. Cook on the hob for 40 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, toss the bread cubes in a little oil and grill until golden on all sides. Keep warm until ready to serve.
  8. When the partridges are cooked, remove them from the pan and increase the heat. Reduce the sauce by two-thirds, until rich and glossy.
  9. To serve, place the partridges on two plates with an apple and carrot alongside each. Spoon over the sauce, scatter the croutons, and enjoy with a good cider or red wine.

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Valentine Warner is a chef, food writer, broadcaster and business owner with a deep-rooted interest in nature, travel and provincial food. He describes his cooking style as “International Grandmother,” blending a strong sense of storytelling with an infectious love of cookery.

Val has a deep respect for ingredients, both wild and cultivated, and an instinctive ability to turn whatever’s available into something hearty, wholesome and satisfying. A firm advocate of native food sources, he shares common ground with Swaledale in championing meat that is flavourful, ethical and high welfare.

Originally trained as a portrait painter, Val has authored five cookbooks, run his own catering company, and is co-owner of Taqueria, a well-loved Mexican café in West London. He is also a partner in Hepple Distillery in Northumberland and Holmen Lofoten, a hotel on Arctic Norway’s Lofoten islands.