4 partridges (1 per person)
3 tbsps soy sauce
150ml (150ml) water
50g (2 oz) butter
streaky bacon
2 medium pears, sliced
125g (4oz) Stilton or similar blue cheese
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Wholegrain mustard dressing (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Wipe the birds and place a knob of butter inside each of the birds. Cover with rashers of streaky bacon.
2. Put the birds in a roasting tin, mix the water and soy sauce together and pour into the bottom of the pan. Cover with foil.
3. Place in the middle of the oven and cook for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for a further 10 minutes.
4. To prepare the pears: melt the remaining butter in an oven proof dish and toss the pears in the hot butter. Return to the top shelf of oven for a further 10 minutes to soften and slightly brown.
5. The partridges are ready to serve when the juices run clear. Allowing one partridge per person serve with slices of pear, a little dressing (optional) and cheese shavings. Garnish with crispy bacon.
6. Serve with baby potatoes and sliced green beans.

4 partridges, roasted and kept warm
250g broad beans, shelled
250g French beans, topped and tailed
420g can butter beans, drained and rinsed
2 Little Gem lettuce
A good handful of mixed salad leaves
1 tablespoon capers
6-8 anchovies, chopped
8 quails eggs, softly boiled, shelled and halved
2 tbsps chopped flat leaved parsley, chives and dill
Freshly ground black pepper
Dressing

1 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsps olive oil

Cook all the beans in lightly salted water until just tender, drain well.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together and stir into the warm beans.

Serving Suggestion

Arrange the lettuce and salad leaves on a flat plate, spoon over the beans.
Slice the partridges and arrange over the beans with the capers, anchovies, eggs and herbs.
Season well with black pepper.

4 partridge
2 tbsps cumin seeds
Grated zest 1 lemon
75g (3oz) butter, softened
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Cut the partridges in half lengthways with a sharp serrated knife and hit the pieces so the legs lie flat.

Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan for a few seconds until they release their aroma. Transfer to a pestle and mortar and grind coarsely, then mix into the butter with the lemon zest.

Rub the partridge all over with the butter and season with salt and pepper. Cook under a hot grill being careful not to let them burn, and turn them several times, brushing with more butter.

Cook for about 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and the skin is crisp.

8 partridge breasts, skinned
2 tbsps olive oil
Dressing:
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 bunch watercress, finely chopped
1 tbsp chives, chopped
1 tbsp toasted pine kernels
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
6 - 8 tbsps olive oil

Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing.

Fry the breasts in the hot oil until the meat has browned all over.

4 partridges (one per person), ready prepared
4 sprigs fresh thyme plus a few leaves
12 juniper berries
salt and freshly ground pepper
8 slices streaky bacon
mix of butter, olive oil
selection of wild & exotic mushrooms
olive oil

Pre heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF Gas Mark 6.

Place 1 sprig of thyme, 3 juniper berries in the cavity of each bird and season with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with some string before cooking.

Spread softened butter and oil over the birds and place a rasher of bacon on each breast. Put in a roasting pan and cook for 30 minutes. To check the bird is cooked, place a skewer in between the leg and breast and the birds are cooked when the juices run clear.

Pour some of the juice into a small saucepan and keep on a low heat. In the meantime heat a little olive oil and sauté a selection of wild mushrooms in season.

Place the mushrooms on the plate together with the partridge and crispy bacon. Serve with a little of the heated juice, braised cabbage and mashed potato.

2 plump oven ready partridges
50g butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
300g Arborio rice
100ml dry white wine
1 litre hot chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp garlic flavoured olive oil
50g freshly grated Pecorino (or parmesan) cheese
large handful of baby spinach leaves
large handful of wild rocket
shavings of Pecorino cheese to serve

Remove the breasts from the partridges (ask your butcher to do this for you). Set the breasts to one side. Skin the leg joints and slice the meat from the one then chop the meat into small pieces.

Melt half the butter in heavy-based pan. Add the onion and partridge leg meat, cook gently for 5 mins, stirring occasionally until the onion has softened. Pour in the wine and boil rapidly until almost completely evaporated. Add the rice and cook, stirring until the grains are all coated in the buttery juices.

Add a ladleful of the hot stock and simmer, stirring until absorbed. Continue adding the stock, a ladleful at a time until the rice is tender but still retains some bite - this will take about 20 mins.

Heat the garlic, olive oil in a heavy based frying pan and fry the partridge breasts for 2-3 mins each side until golden brown and just cooked through. Transfer to a board and slice.

Stir in the remaining butter and grated Pecorino cheese into the risotto until melted, then stir in the spinach and rocket. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top with the sliced breast meat and wild rocket to garnish. Serve straight away with shavings of Pecorino cheese.