[Sca-cooks] Partridge

[otsisto]

English, probably not period

Roast Partridge w/pears
1? oz butter
2 small partridges
1 tbsp olive oil
4 shallots, halved
2 pears, cored but not peeled
1 Tbs. sultanas
2 tsps. red currant jelly (or black currant, if preferred. red plum jelly
can be used to substitute for the red currant jelly)
 add ground nutmeg to taste
1 1/4 cp. cider or pear juice. (wine can be used instead)
2 juniper berries, crushed
 salt & black pepper to taste.

Instructions...

Preheat the oven to 200 C Gas 6. Rub ? oz butter over the breast of each
partridge. Season with salt and pepper then place in a roasting tin.
Heat the oil over a fierce heat and fry the shallot halves until they are
well browned all over and beginning to shorten. Set aside. Cut the bottom of
the pears so that they can sit upright in the pan, then score a thin line
around the fattest part of each pear through the skin only. Mix the sultanas
with the jelly, remaining butter and a sprinkling of nutmeg and pepper, then
stuff into the pears.
Stand the pears in a dish and pour the cider around them. Tuck in the pieces
of shallots and the juniper berries. Cover with a dome of foil and roast in
the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and raise the oven heat to 240 C,
Gas 9.
Put the partridges in the oven too and roast for 25-30 minutes, basting
frequently with their own juices and a spoonful or two from the pears. Check
the pears from time to time to make sure they don't overcook.
Serve the partridges surrounded by the pears and shallots. Strain the juices
from both dishes and mix to serve as a thin gravy, seasoning with salt and
pepper.