Recipe of the month

Recipe of the month - December

Roast Grouse with Fondant Potatoes and Creamed Pancetta Sprouts

Treat yourself to the king of feathered game this Christmas time. At the very end of the shooting season, Grouse is still available from butchers in the area and to order from local butchers.

Grouse is a gamey flavoured bird and as such is suited to a more full bodied wine.

Shiraz is the grape to choose or to be precise Syrah from Northern Rhone. This peppery, spice red wine will be the perfect accompaniment. Look for better value wines from, Cote Rotie or Crozes-Hermitage which are often available on offer for around £10.00.

Recipe from Norden Arms Head Chef Peter Clough (serves four) 

• 4 whole grouse, gutted and feathers removed
• 2 lemons
• 1 onion
• 100g thyme
• Oil & butter for frying / roasting
• Salt and pepper

Fondant potato: 

• 4 large potatoes
• Butter for frying
• 600ml chicken stock
• Thyme

Creamed sprouts & pancetta: 

• 500g sprouts finely sliced
• 200g pancetta finely diced
• 200ml double cream
• Seasoning

Bread sauce: 

• I small onion studded with 10 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 peppercorns
• 600ml milk
• 125g breadcrumbs
• 50g butter
• Seasoning

Red wine and blackberry sauce: 

• Half bottle of red wine, reduced by 3 quarters
• 2 shallots 
• 1 tablespoon red currant jelly
• 600ml chicken stock
• I punnet of blackberries 

Method
Take both long sides off the potatoes and use a circular cutter to shape the potatoes, fry each side until golden in a deep pan, add the chicken stock and thyme and allow to simmer until cooked, turning once again in between. 

Stuff the grouse with half a lemon and a quarter of an onion along with a couple of sprigs of thyme.

In a hot pan seal both breast sides and underneath the bird, transfer to a roasting tin and repeat.

Cook for 10 minutes at 200 degrees C in a preheated oven.

Sauté the pancetta until it crisps up and add another knob of butter then add the sprouts, cook till almost tender then add the cream and reduce until the cream sticks to the sprout and pancetta mix.

For the bread sauce, poach the studded onion in the milk along with the bay leaf and peppercorns, strain off and add breadcrumbs until desired consistency, stir in the butter for extra flavour and creaminess, arrange on your plates and ladle over your red wine sauce.

Food & Wine by Paul Sheerin
Pshearse@gmail.com