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Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 Brace Woodcock
2 Shallots, finely diced
2 medium Carrots, peeled and grated
2 rashers Streaky bacon
50g Butter
For the sauce:
1 tbsp plain Flour
10fl oz(1/2pint) Chicken stock
1 schooner Madeira
Seasoning
Bubble and Squeak to serve
Method:
Pluck the Woodcock but don’t draw the birds. Bring the beak round just behind the legs and skewer through the body and out the other side - this is the traditional way of preparing the birds for cooking.
Place the shallots and carrots into a small roasting tin and sit the birds on top. Divide the streaky bacon between them and place across the breasts and dot with the butter. Roast in a hot oven: 200 degrees C Gas Mark 6 for 30 minutes, basting frequently as this helps to prevent them from drying out.
Now make the bubble and squeak by frying mashed potatoes and any cooked greens together turning once.
Remove the birds from the oven and allow to rest in a warm place for a minimum of 10 minutes while you make the sauce: add the flour to the roasted vegetables in the roasting tin and stir together to combine all the ingredients.
Place the tin on the hotplate over a low heat and gradually add the stock stirring continuously to prevent the mixture from sticking.
Once the mixture has thickened add the Madeira and bring to the boil.
Pour the sauce through a sieve into a saucepan, pressing the vegetables through the sieve as much as possible, scraping any pureed vegetables from the under side and add to the sauce.
Season to taste and reduce the sauce a little if you like it slightly thicker.
Serve the Woodcock on a bed of bubble and squeak with the sauce poured over.
Ingredients:
1 Brace Woodcock
2 Shallots, finely diced
2 medium Carrots, peeled and grated
2 rashers Streaky bacon
50g Butter
For the sauce:
1 tbsp plain Flour
10fl oz(1/2pint) Chicken stock
1 schooner Madeira
Seasoning
Bubble and Squeak to serve
Method:
Pluck the Woodcock but don’t draw the birds. Bring the beak round just behind the legs and skewer through the body and out the other side - this is the traditional way of preparing the birds for cooking.
Place the shallots and carrots into a small roasting tin and sit the birds on top. Divide the streaky bacon between them and place across the breasts and dot with the butter. Roast in a hot oven: 200 degrees C Gas Mark 6 for 30 minutes, basting frequently as this helps to prevent them from drying out.
Now make the bubble and squeak by frying mashed potatoes and any cooked greens together turning once.
Remove the birds from the oven and allow to rest in a warm place for a minimum of 10 minutes while you make the sauce: add the flour to the roasted vegetables in the roasting tin and stir together to combine all the ingredients.
Place the tin on the hotplate over a low heat and gradually add the stock stirring continuously to prevent the mixture from sticking.
Once the mixture has thickened add the Madeira and bring to the boil.
Pour the sauce through a sieve into a saucepan, pressing the vegetables through the sieve as much as possible, scraping any pureed vegetables from the under side and add to the sauce.
Season to taste and reduce the sauce a little if you like it slightly thicker.
Serve the Woodcock on a bed of bubble and squeak with the sauce poured over.
