1920. BACON-WRAPPED PARTRIDGE with THYME and RED CURRANT JELLY

serves two

2 partridges
6 slices of unsmoked streaky bacon
1 lemon
2 small knobs of butter
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tablespoons of redcurrant/damson/wild plum jelly
small glass of white wine or damson gin if you’d like a more raunchy dish
salt and ground black pepper

Pre heat the oven to 160c (140c fan). Cut the lemon in half lengthwise and squeeze each half over a partridge rubbing the lemon juice well into the flesh of the birds. Put half a lemon into the cavity of each bird along with a knob of butter and a sprig of thyme. Spread a tablespoon of redcurrant jelly over the breast of each bird and put a spring of thyme on each. Season each bird and wrap the streaky bacon slices over the breast of each bird, securing the bacon with a cocktail stick. Place the birds breast side down in a casserole. Splosh over the wine and put a piece of foil under the lid to ensure a snug fit. Place in a preheated oven for an hour and twenty minutes (or until tender) 160c or 140c fan. Serve with crispy bread to soak up the juices.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Fiona Nevile, The Cottage Smallholder