GAME BIRDS WITH ARMAGNAC & APPLE, low cholesterol, easy, make ahead

If you're game for wild birds, this is a sensational dish...

first posted  Dec 2015; updated 2/24

Adult fare: Sophisticated, heady Armagnac Partridges with Apple 

Game birds in Armagnac with Apple offers tender succulent meat and scrumptious juices for a meal to impress. It would make a delicious Thanksgiving supper for two, along with this week's 2-Potato Champ and Sprout Pear Slaw.   

Partridges are game birds, lean and low in fat; it has a slightly gamey flavour but in a good way.  The meat is particularly well suited to braising and roasting. 

They can be found in good butchers* and major supermarkets for  £5.00'ish each.   Though small, about 350gm/12oz, they're very meaty. The birds are pretty thoroughly plucked but you may see one or two tail feathers which can be removed with sterilised tweezers.

Pheasant is even better value at £5'ish each (2/24); it feeds 2 generously. -

Traditionally in the UK, wild birds - especially if young - are roasted, and served pinkly rare while older birds are braised.

But 67 prefers a slow cooker -- the flavour of the juices intensifies.  No matter how old the bird, the meat becomes beautifully tender without falling apart. 

Armagnac can be replaced by any other alcohol or white grape juice.

Cost: £max 6 + cost of alcohol & apple
Feeds: 2-3

Ingred:
    2 partridges or a pheasant in quarters
    olive oil
    1 small onion, diced
    1 small clove garlic, grated
    1 small celery stalk, peeled and finely diced 
    80 ml/1/3 cup armagnac/white wine/apple cider/grape juice
    300 ml/1 1/4 cups good chicken stock
    1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored & cut into 8 pieces

Method:

1. If necessary, remove giblets from the bird's cavity; set aside
2. Season the bird lightly in & out 
3. Spray base of a large pan with olive oil; over med heat brown 2-3 mins on each side; remove and rest 
4. Reduce heat, add onions, garlic & celery; sautee 5 mins until soft & translucent
5. Return bird to pan, skin side down, add alcohol and stock; bring to the boil
6. Pour into slow cooker; cook on low for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, 
7. 
   
8. 20 mins before end of cooking, add apple slices 
9. Thicken juices with 1 tbsp butter & 1 tbsp flour mashed together OR a slurry of 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water. 
10. Serve with mash or rice and stir-fried Savoy cabbage (with or without bacon) (See Principles of Stir-Fry)

Comment:

'The armagnac and apple are a wonderful counterpoint to the wild meat, which is beautifully tender and not overdone.' Journalist

Tips:

1. No slow cooker? Try the hob or oven but if using pheasant, halve the bird (these methods are untested by 67) (a) reduce heat to moderate, put a lid on the pan and simmer for 35 mins or until cooked through and tender OR (b) place in a covered casserole dish in a moderate oven and bake 35 mins or until cooked through and tender 

More wild bird recipes, incl several for pheasant, in NavBar: Recipes 1/Poultry
 See also Pheasant & Venison, the Issues

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.