If you’re anything like me, then your freezer will be stocked with game meat after the season’s end, with pheasant and partridge in particular. I first discovered this recipe in the pages of The Field Magazine, after which I couldn’t wait to give it a go. This recipe is decadent enough to impress the guests, but doesn’t require you to slave in the kitchen for too long, allowing more time for entertaining and of course another glass of wine!
The partridge I used in this recipe was from a lovely shoot day in late November last year, in the heavenly Norfolk countryside – field to fork via the freezer. Like all game, partridge is a fantastic choice to incorporate into our diets. Higher in protein and lower in fat than chicken, it makes for a nutritious organic ingredient. If you don’t have access to partridge then I don’t see why you can’t use pheasant instead.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp lazy chopped garlic
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
150g chestnut mushrooms
4 skinless partridge breasts, cut into strips
1 tsp paprika
100g creme fraiche
2 tbsp whisky
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp chopped chives
200g pappardelle pasta
1 tbsp butter
METHOD:
In a shallow pan on a medium heat, sauté the onions, garlic and celery in the oil until softened. Season with salt & pepper. Add the mushrooms and cook for a couple more minutes.
Scrape the veg mix to one side of the pan so you have room to fry the partridge for about a minute, before mixing with the veg. Add the paprika, creme fraiche, whisky and mustard and bring to a simmer. You want to heat the sauce to make sure the partridge is cooked.
Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions, then drain. Toss through the butter. To serve, spoon the hot stroganoff over the buttery pasta and sprinkle with chives.