Partridge filled with cèpes, served on a foie gras crouton, with roasted vegetables, potato confit and a brandy jus
INGREDIENTS
(serves four)
4 x 250-300g partridge
280g cèpes, cleaned
Butter
15g parsley, finely chopped
20g shallots, finely chopped
300g caul fat
For the farce
120g of partridge flesh (1 whole partridge completely deboned without the skin and without the drumstick)
120g double cream
1tbs brandy
Salt
Black pepper
For the sauce
Butter
Patridge carcasses, chopped
30g of pancetta
50g onion, chopped
50g carrot, chopped
30ml brandy
50ml white wine
500ml chicken stock
For the roasted vegetables
80g parsnip, in batons
80g carrot, in batons
80g celeriac, in batons
80g red onion, in batons
80g celery, in batons
80g chestnut, pre-cooked in duck fat
Salt
Black pepper
For the potato confit
250g potato, peeled
100g duck fat
For the croutons
4 slices of bread, cut to 8cm in diameter and cooked in clarified butter until golden brown
4 x 50g slices of fresh foie gras
Salt and pepper
METHOD
Partridge cutlet: remove the breast and skin from each partridge. Debone the leg, but leave the end of the thigh. Cut the cèpes into slices, sauté in butter until golden brown, then add the parsley and shallots. Season to taste.
Place some of the cèpes over each breast. Cover with leg and coat with a fine layer of farce. Wrap in caul fat. Seal each cutlet in butter until golden brown. Reserve.
Farce: cut the partridge flesh into small cubes and put through a mincer to obtain a fine purée.
Place the meat purée in a bowl on ice and add double cream and brandy. Stir well and season the mixture to taste.
Sauce: melt a knob of butter in a saucepan. Add the pancetta and partridge carcasses. Cook to a nice coloration. Add mirepoix and sweat for a few minutes. Add brandy and white wine, reduce by half, then add the stock. Cook to coating consistency. Put through a muslin cloth and season to taste. Keep hot.
Roasted vegetables: place the vegetables in a roasting pan with the duck fat. Season to taste and roast in a medium-hot oven until tender. Keep hot.
Potato confit: finely slice potatoes, drain well, mix with the duck fat and season to taste. Cover with a square sheet of silver foil measuring 15cm, with the potatoes overlapping. Roll into a sausage and steam for 35 minutes at 90°C. Leave to cool. Cut into four thick slices and reheat in a non-stick pan to give a good coloration. Keep hot.
Croutons: pan-fry the foie gras and place on croutons. Keep hot.
To plate: cook the partridge cutlet for a further 12-15 minutes. Place a bed of roasted vegetables on each plate, with a crouton on the top and a potato confit beside it. Slice the cutlet in half, and place over the crouton. Serve the sauce separately.