Ingredients
• 2 whole woodcock
• 50 g butter
• 100 g chicken livers
• 1 sprigs thyme
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp cognac
For the rosti
• 2 maris piper potatoes
• 75 g butter, melted
For the sauce
• 100 ml beef or game stock
• 100 ml port
• 50 g smoked bacon, finely diced
To serve
• braised red cabbage
• toast
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Gut the woodcock and reserve the guts.
2. In a hot pan, melt most of the butter and add the chicken livers and guts. Cook for 1 minute on a high heat, then add a few thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Blitz in a hand blender until smooth.
3. Impale the thighs of each woodcock with its own beak, brush with butter and sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, remove and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
4. For the rosti, peel and grate the potatoes, add the melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Fry in a non-stick pan on a medium heat for 5 minutes on each side.
5. For the sauce, mix the port and stock with the bacon and cook gently on a medium heat to reduce until thick.
6. Serve the woodcock on the rosti and pour the sauce over and around, with a generous helping of braised red cabbage. Serve the toast with paté on the side.
• 2 whole woodcock
• 50 g butter
• 100 g chicken livers
• 1 sprigs thyme
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp cognac
For the rosti
• 2 maris piper potatoes
• 75 g butter, melted
For the sauce
• 100 ml beef or game stock
• 100 ml port
• 50 g smoked bacon, finely diced
To serve
• braised red cabbage
• toast
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Gut the woodcock and reserve the guts.
2. In a hot pan, melt most of the butter and add the chicken livers and guts. Cook for 1 minute on a high heat, then add a few thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Blitz in a hand blender until smooth.
3. Impale the thighs of each woodcock with its own beak, brush with butter and sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, remove and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
4. For the rosti, peel and grate the potatoes, add the melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Fry in a non-stick pan on a medium heat for 5 minutes on each side.
5. For the sauce, mix the port and stock with the bacon and cook gently on a medium heat to reduce until thick.
6. Serve the woodcock on the rosti and pour the sauce over and around, with a generous helping of braised red cabbage. Serve the toast with paté on the side.