Recipes & Ideas For Game

Stuffed Roast Pheasant

Ingredients:
1 pheasant (dressed and prepared),  3 rashers of back bacon (or streaky) ,  2oz butter
5fl oz white wine (or red which will give it a deeper richer flavour-too strong for some palate)
1 tablespoon redcurrant jelly,  juice of 1/2 lemon,  4 slices (which will be fried) white bread

For the stuffing:

8oz pork sausagemeat ,  1 small onion (VERY finely chopped),  1 apple (desset-peeled, cored and chopped),  2 tablespoons parsley,  salt & pepper,  1 egg (beaten)
Method(for stuffing):
Set oven to 350F. In a bowl mix together the sausagemeat, onion, parsley and season to taste. Bind the mixture with the beaten egg. Stuff the pheasant using any leftovers for stuffing balls (which some prefer) and cook around the bird in the dish.
Method(for bird):
Place bird on a roasting tin and wrap the rashers around the bird. Brush the butter over the bird and cook for 35-45 minutes. Remove from the oven and drain the fat. Place back in the roasting tray (if it has been removed) and rub gently over the bird the redcurrant jelly. Then pour the wine and the lemon juice over the bird (most of the jelly will wash off into the roasting tray).
Return the bird to the oven for another 20-25 minutes, keeping the bird moist by basting regularly. Fry the four slices of bread (plate them)and once the bird has cooled slightly cut it into four pieces and place on top of the bread. Now quickly boil the gravy to reduce it to a fine sauce and pour over the four game pieces.
Should serve four people and should be accompanied by a potato dish of choice.

Partridge with Grapes and Cream Cheese

Ingredients: 
4 partridges,  16 green seedless grapes for stuffing ,  2 cups green seedless grapes for the sauce and garnish,  10 tablespoons cream cheese,  1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil,  1 cup full-bodied red wine , 1/2 cup Armagnac or good quality brandy
Preparation:
Season the partridges inside and out with salt and pepper. Place 4 grapes and two tablespoons cream cheese in the cavity of each bird. Close the cavities with toothpicks. Two tablespoons of the cheese will be reserved for the sauce. Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and place the stuffed partridges in the pan. Quickly brown the birds for approximately six minutes. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium and cook the partridges for a further ten to fifteen minutes or until done. Remove the partridges to a warm platter and set aside. Keep warm. Skim off the fat from the pan juices, and add 1 cup of grapes and the Armagnac (or brandy) to the sauce pan. Simmer over low heat and add the wine. Boil for approximately five minutes to allow the sauce to reduce. Strain the ingredients and return the liquid to the pan. Add the remaining cream cheese to thicken the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper seasonings to taste. Pour the sauce over the partridges, garnish with the remaining grapes and serve. We recommend serving this dish with Gratin Potatoes a la Dauphinoise.

SAUTEED GROUSE BREASTS

2 grouse breasts,  Fresh garlic ,  Black pepper ,  7-8 juniper berries,  Paprika,  Sage ,  Thyme ,
Flour , 2 cups brandy , Oil-butter (50-50) for frying

Dredge breasts in seasoned flour. Crush the juniper berries and use with other seasonings. Brown garlic in oil and butter and remove. Brown the breasts and add 1 cup of brandy, preheated. Flame the breasts (light the brandy and allow to burn while stirring constantly), being careful of the flames. Cover the skillet and allow the breasts to simmer until done. Do not overcook.
Just before removing meat, add another 2-3 tbsp. of chopped garlic and another juniper berry or two, and saute lightly. Then add more brandy (up to 1 cup) and flame as before. Remove breasts to plate. Degrease the pan if necessary, and boil the pot liquor to reduce. Thicken with seasoned flour, correct the seasoning, and serve with boiled rice to which sauteed mushrooms have been added.

Duck with Red Wine Sauce and Roast Vegetables

Ingredients
For the duck and sauce  1 duck breast,  290ml/½ pint beef stock,  ½ glass red wine,  olive oil, to drizzle, 
For the roast vegetables,  2 tbsp olive oil,  ½ red pepper, de-seeded and sliced,  ½ courgette, cut into wedges,  ½ onion, peeled and sliced,  2 garlic cloves, peeled,  ½ sweet potato, peeled and cut into wedges

Method
1. Remove the fat from the duck breast and score the duck using a sharp knife.
2. Heat a pan until hot and pan-fry the duck for 4-5 minutes on each side.
3. Remove from the pan and allow to rest.
4. To make the red wine sauce heat the beef stock and red wine in a pan for 5-6 minutes, swirling occasionally, until thickened and reduced.
5. To make the roast vegetables, heat the oil in a large sauté pan.
6. Add the pepper, courgette, onion, garlic and sweet potato and sauté for 10-12 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.
7. Slice the duck and transfer to a serving plate. Pour the red wine sauce over the duck and drizzle the plate with olive oil.
8. Serve the roast vegetables alongside.