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Serves 1.
Ingredients
7 whole chestnuts
For the cabbage parcels
3 Savoy cabbage leaves
couple knobs of butter
1 tbsp olive oil
½ shallot, finely chopped
½ clove garlic, finely chopped
¼ carrot, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped pancetta
1 tsp sausagemeat
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch chopped sage
pinch chopped parsley
For the spiced pear
400ml water
400ml caster sugar
1 pear, peeled and cored
1 star anise
1 stick cinnamon
For the partridge
knob of butter
1 tbsp olive oil
giblets from the partridge
½ stick celery, finely chopped
½ shallot, finely chopped
½ leek, finely chopped
½ carrot, finely chopped
½ clove garlic, finely chopped
1 partridge
salt and freshly ground black pepper
few sprigs thyme
1 lemon, zest only
2 rashers streaky bacon
sprig parsley
300ml/11fl oz hot chicken stock
For the sauce
¼ tsp white wine vinegar
splash of full-bodied red wine
splash of Madeira
¼ tsp redcurrant jelly
salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Preparation method
1.Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2.Score the chestnuts with a sharp knife, then roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove and leave to cool, then remove the shells and the skins. Finely chop two of the chestnuts and leave the rest whole.
3.For the cabbage parcels, remove the tough central stem from each of the leaves, then blanch in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Cut out circles from the leaves with metal cutters and set to one side.
4.Heat a knob of butter and olive oil in a frying pan and gently fry the shallot, garlic, carrot, pancetta, sausagemeat and salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir for a few minutes until the vegetables are softened and the sausagemeat cooked through. Add the herbs and chopped chestnuts and divide the mixture between the Savoy cabbage leaves. Roll into parcels and wrap tightly in clingfilm. Leave to one side.
5.For the spiced pear, mix the water with the sugar and pour into a saucepan. Add the pear, star anise and cinnamon and bring to a simmer. Gently simmer for 15-20 minutes until the pear is completely tender.
6.For the partridge, heat the butter and olive oil in an ovenproof heavy-bottomed pan with a tight-fitting lid, then add the giblets and brown all over. Add the celery, shallot, leek, carrot and garlic and allow to soften for a few minutes.
7.Season the partridge with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then stuff its cavity with a few sprigs of thyme and lemon zest. Cover the breasts with streaky bacon, then add to the cooked vegetables. Tuck a sprig of parsley in with the partridge and pour over the stock. Cover and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the partridge is completely cooked through. (Check that the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer.)
8.When the partridge is ready, remove from the pan and keep warm. Pour the remaining contents in the pan through a sieve and discard the giblets and vegetables. To make the sauce, put the liquid back in the pan and place on the hob and bring to a simmer. Pour in the vinegar, wine and Madeira and allow to bubble for a minute or so. Stir in the redcurrant jelly and taste for seasoning. Add the whole chestnuts and coat in the sauce to warm through.
9.To finish off the cabbage parcels, melt the remaining butter in a frying pan and brown the parcels all over for a few minutes.
10.To serve, place the partridge and spiced pear in the middle of a warmed plate, arrange the cabbage parcels and whole chestnuts around it and pour over the sauce.
Ingredients
7 whole chestnuts
For the cabbage parcels
3 Savoy cabbage leaves
couple knobs of butter
1 tbsp olive oil
½ shallot, finely chopped
½ clove garlic, finely chopped
¼ carrot, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped pancetta
1 tsp sausagemeat
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch chopped sage
pinch chopped parsley
For the spiced pear
400ml water
400ml caster sugar
1 pear, peeled and cored
1 star anise
1 stick cinnamon
For the partridge
knob of butter
1 tbsp olive oil
giblets from the partridge
½ stick celery, finely chopped
½ shallot, finely chopped
½ leek, finely chopped
½ carrot, finely chopped
½ clove garlic, finely chopped
1 partridge
salt and freshly ground black pepper
few sprigs thyme
1 lemon, zest only
2 rashers streaky bacon
sprig parsley
300ml/11fl oz hot chicken stock
For the sauce
¼ tsp white wine vinegar
splash of full-bodied red wine
splash of Madeira
¼ tsp redcurrant jelly
salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Preparation method
1.Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2.Score the chestnuts with a sharp knife, then roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove and leave to cool, then remove the shells and the skins. Finely chop two of the chestnuts and leave the rest whole.
3.For the cabbage parcels, remove the tough central stem from each of the leaves, then blanch in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Cut out circles from the leaves with metal cutters and set to one side.
4.Heat a knob of butter and olive oil in a frying pan and gently fry the shallot, garlic, carrot, pancetta, sausagemeat and salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir for a few minutes until the vegetables are softened and the sausagemeat cooked through. Add the herbs and chopped chestnuts and divide the mixture between the Savoy cabbage leaves. Roll into parcels and wrap tightly in clingfilm. Leave to one side.
5.For the spiced pear, mix the water with the sugar and pour into a saucepan. Add the pear, star anise and cinnamon and bring to a simmer. Gently simmer for 15-20 minutes until the pear is completely tender.
6.For the partridge, heat the butter and olive oil in an ovenproof heavy-bottomed pan with a tight-fitting lid, then add the giblets and brown all over. Add the celery, shallot, leek, carrot and garlic and allow to soften for a few minutes.
7.Season the partridge with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then stuff its cavity with a few sprigs of thyme and lemon zest. Cover the breasts with streaky bacon, then add to the cooked vegetables. Tuck a sprig of parsley in with the partridge and pour over the stock. Cover and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the partridge is completely cooked through. (Check that the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer.)
8.When the partridge is ready, remove from the pan and keep warm. Pour the remaining contents in the pan through a sieve and discard the giblets and vegetables. To make the sauce, put the liquid back in the pan and place on the hob and bring to a simmer. Pour in the vinegar, wine and Madeira and allow to bubble for a minute or so. Stir in the redcurrant jelly and taste for seasoning. Add the whole chestnuts and coat in the sauce to warm through.
9.To finish off the cabbage parcels, melt the remaining butter in a frying pan and brown the parcels all over for a few minutes.
10.To serve, place the partridge and spiced pear in the middle of a warmed plate, arrange the cabbage parcels and whole chestnuts around it and pour over the sauce.
