Roast partridge & barley broth

 

Introduction 

To use more of the game we got over Christmas, I found another recipe in my Jamie Oliver book. Again I have modified it based on the ingredients we had in and what we like. I think this was a delicious alternative to a standard Sunday roast and would work just as well with a whole chicken or a few thighs and legs. 

Ingredients 

100g pearl barley 

 

1 onion

2 stalks of celery

1 clove garlic

 

1 carrot

1 parsnip

4 rashers streaky bacon

1 tin sweetcorn 

Handful mangetout 

2 partridges 

 

Chicken stock

I had some home made frozen but a stock cube & water would be fine

1 lemon

1 tbsp mixed herbs

Method

• Add the barley to boiling salted water and simmer for 50 mins 
• Meanwhile, prepare the veg. Finely chop the onion, celery & garlic into a bowl
• In another dice the parsnip & carrot. 
• Chop the bacon & add half to the bowl with the carrot & parsnip.
• When the barley is soft, drain and put to one side. 
• Add some oil to a pan and gently fry the onion, celery and garlic for a good 8 mins or until soft. 
• Next mix in the carrot, parsnip & bacon. Stir fry until the bacon is cooked.  
• Mix in the barley & add the stock. There should be enough liquid so you have a fairly thick soup. Turn the heat down & simmer. You can add a touch more water if it gets too thick.  
• For the partridges I have never butchered one before. If you can separate the wings and breasts, do it. I kind of roughly did an ok job.  
• Place in a roasting dish, cover with the mixed herbs and season. 
• Quarter the lemon and give a little squeeze. Leave the lemon segments in the roasting dish 
• Add the rest of the chopped bacon and a splash of water or stock. 
• Roast at 150 degrees C for about an hour
• Just as the birds are done, mix the sweetcorn & mangetout into the barley. 
• Serve with some nice crusty bread

Enjoy 😉

Game Ragù

 

Introduction 

For Christmas, we got a selection of game including a 300g pack of diced mixed game. Looking for something to use this I came across an interesting ragù recipe in one of my Jamie Oliver books. We love Spaghetti Bolognese and I have already done a rich pasta sauce here. With some slight modifications, this is what I made:

Ingredients 

1 onion

3 cloves garlic

1 stick celery

1 large carrot

1 large parsnip 

All the above should be chopped as finely as you can. 

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano 

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 tin chopped tomatoes 

1 glass of wine

Jamie's recipe suggests white wine makes a lighter sauce, I used red since we had no white

About half a pint of Chicken stock

300g mixed game

I also reckon that lamb or beef would also work

2 tsp balsamic vinegar 

Fresh chopped parsley 

Orange zest

Salt, pepper, Parmesan to taste

Pasta of your choosing 

Method

• Heat some oil in an oven proof pan
• Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot & parsnip. Fry gently for 8-10 mins
• Stir in the dried herbs and tomato purée and cook for a further 5-8 mins. 
• Add the wine, tinned tomatoes, stock, salt, pepper & vinegar and bring to a gentle boil. 
• Now add the game meat and simmer for at least 2 hrs with the lid off. The meat should be falling apart. If the sauce gets too dry, add a touch more water but keep the sauce thick
• Cook your fave pasta as per instructions. 
• Just before serving, mix in a handful each of fresh chopped parsley and Parmesan. Grate zest from about half an orange in. This adds a fantastic, unexpected flavour. 
• Garnish with more parsley, Parmesan & black pepper. 

Enjoy 😉