Roast Partridge

This started out as a great idea. The duck guy at the markets was also offering partridge and quail & we hadn't ever tried partridge. So easy right? A little googling and some creative application of technique and flavour matching and we had a winner.

Really delicately flavoured but rich and rewarding. And surprisingly easy.

Took our pair of partridges & decided to "roast" them - searing on all sides in foaming butter and then placing them in a warm (160C) oven to cook through for about 10 minutes before resting for an extra 10+. Stuffed them with a mix of sourdough breadcrumbs, mandarin peel & segments, fresh sage, salt & pepper and fried off onion, bacon and pine nuts.

With a slight nod to our transposed christmas memory served them with a salad of mesclun and sweet, ripe pear. Bitter greens and vinegar cut through and gave relief while pear made it all work together.