Roast partridge with English pears

Ingredients

6 whole partridges

2 Oranges

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tbsp peppercorns

60g salt

500g sprout flowers

5 rashers of smoked streaky bacon – sliced into lardons

2 organic English pears – skinned, cored and sliced thinly

1 handful of chestnuts – cooked and chopped

For the Sauce

Partridge legs

3 shallots – finely chopped

300ml mulled wine

5 sprigs of thyme

1 litre of chicken stock

1 tbsp cranberry sauce

Method

1. Slice the oranges and place in a saucepan with the coriander, peppercorns, salt and 2 litres of water, bring to the boil and chill.

2. Remove the legs from the partridges. Place the crowns in the chilled brine and leave for 2 hours in the fridge. Lightly rinse and dry.

3. In a heavy based saucepan, fry the partridge legs until light brown, add the shallots and cook until soft.

4. Add the mulled wine and thyme and reduce by half, pour in the chicken stock and the cranberry sauce, pass through a fine sieve, simmer until sauce consistency

5. Place a saucepan on a medium heat and brown the partridge crowns in a little olive oil.

6. Remove from the pan and roast in an oven at 180°C for 4 minutes, leave to rest.

7. In the same pan used to brown the partridge, sauté the lardons until crispy, add the sprout flowers, 2 tablespoons chicken stock and a little salt. Once the flowers are cooked, add the sliced pears and chopped chestnuts. Remove from the heat and check for seasoning.

To serve

1. Put a generous spoon of sprout flowers in the middle of each plate.

2. Remove the breasts from the partridge crowns, give two per portion.

3. Finish with the mulled wine sauce.

About Corse Lawn House

Corse Lawn House Hotel is an elegant Queen Anne Grade II listed building, surrounded by its 12 acres of gardens and fields. Belonging to the Hine family since 1978, it has been carefully extended, refurbished and restored to what is a stunningly attractive Country House Hotel with 19 beautiful bedrooms.

The hotel prides itself on offering traditional hospitality, exceptional service and quintessentially Anglo-French dining. It is a relaxing house to visit, wonderfully placed for the Cotswolds, Malverns and Forest of Dean and is only a 20-minute drive from Gloucester, Cheltenham and Worcester.

Over the years, Corse Lawn House has acquired a great reputation for delicious food, superior wine and exceptional service, with a happy, warm and friendly atmosphere and has received outstanding recognition and a good number of industry awards, from Best Country House Hotel to Best Cheeseboard.