Game on for seasonal dishes

WITH the game season upon us, grouse have been flying out of our Harome kitchens, served traditionally roast and garnished, although we will serve them differently as the season progresses.

It feels more than a little ‘back end-ish’ up in the Moors and hedgerow brambles have long been ripe for picking on the sunnier sides of the lanes, justifying some ‘purple finger’ excursions.

The little black berries combine nicely with last year’s sloe gin (the hedgerow sloes need a few more weeks and at least one frost before they are ready for the annual infusion in some ‘Mother’s ruin’) and the apples from our gardens.

My first recipe combines these flavours with young grouse, while the second recipe would be a perfect way to use old grouse, which could otherwise have a tendency to be a little tough. We use the livers and heart as well to give a good ‘offally’ depth.

Sit two or three faggots on a crisp Bubble and Squeak Rösti, and spoon over the tart redcurrant gravy – the redcurrants’ acidity helps to ‘cut through’ the richness of the rest of the dish.

Game on!

Roast Grouse with Orchard Apple Purée, Mulled Brambles and Sloe Gin Juices

Serves: four

Ingredients

4 young grouse, oven ready

Seasoning

4 slices of pancetta

3 cooking apples

100g sugar

100ml mulled wine

100g brambles

50ml sloe gin

100ml veal stock

Seasoning

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.

Place the grouse on an oven tray, season, then take the pancetta and cover over the bird’s breasts, to keep them moist, and roast for about 16 to 18 minutes. Then remove from the oven and leave to rest.

To make the apple purée, first peel and core the apples, then cut each apple into quarters. Place the apples into a small saucepan adding a little water and the sugar, then bring to boil and cook until very soft. Purée in the food processor until smooth.

Bring the mulled wine to the boil, then place the brambles in a small dish and cover with the wine, leaving to cool and take on the flavours of the wine.

For the sauce, heat the veal stock and reduce by half. At this point, add the sloe gin, which will add a rich and fruity flavour to the sauce.

To serve, take the breasts and legs off the birds and keep warm, spoon the apple purée on to the plate and place two breasts and legs on each plate, spoon the mulled brambles around the plate and finish with the sloe gin sauce, adding the pancetta to garnish on top.

Braised Faggots of North Yorkshire Moors Grouse with a Bubble and Squeak Rösti, Redcurrant ‘Gravy’

Serves four

Ingredients

100g of pig’s caul

Meat from 2 ‘old’ grouse, including offal (liver and heart), roughly chopped

2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

5g fresh thyme leaves

A little oil for frying

150g sausage meat

200ml of game stock

30g fresh redcurrants, off the stalks

Seasoning

For the Bubble and Squeak Rosti:

2 Maris Piper potatoes

1 carrot

50g bacon bits

50g Savoy cabbage

1 shallot, finely sliced

Seasoning

10g butter

Method

Take the pig’s caul and place in cold water for up to 12 hours. Take roughly chopped grouse meat and offal and blend together in the food processor. Then, fry off the shallot, garlic and thyme in a little oil until soft. Add to the minced grouse and the sausagemeat, and combine together. Season.

Place the mixture into the fridge and allow to set for about one hour. Once set, bring the game stock to the boil, roll the meat mixture in to little balls, about the size of golf balls, and wrap these in the pig’s caul. (You should get three a portion). Once all wrapped, place in the stock and cook for approximately 15 minutes.

To make the Rosti, grate the potatoes and carrots and place in a bowl. Slice the bacon, cabbage and shallot and add to the mix, season with salt and pepper. Then, heat a small frying pan and add the butter, fry the potato mix until golden brown on one side and turn over and cook to the same colour. Once cooked on both sides, drain on kitchen paper.

To serve, place the rosti potato in the centre of a bowl, take three faggots and place on top of the potato. At this time, the stock will have reduced by half, leaving a fine, rich sauce, add the redcurrants to the sauce and spoon over the faggots.