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Roast partridge with seasonal vegetables and tarragon jus
Tarragon has an earthy aniseed flavour that pairs well with rich game birds like partridge. Mark Dodson recommends serving bread sauce as a side to this roast partridge dish.
Coat the base of a large frying pan with vegetable oil and place on a medium to high heat. Season the partridge with salt and add to the pan 1 or 2 at a time, being sure not to overcrowd the pan
Brown the bird evenly all over and then place onto a tray and cook in the oven for 15 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a little water and set aside to use in the stock
4
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to the boil. Drop the sprouts, followed by the parsnips and green beans, into the water for 2 minutes each. Refresh the vegetables in ice water until completely cold and set aside
Meanwhile, heat a little vegetable oil in a large pot on a high heat. Add the wing tips and necks and cook until a dark golden brown colour. Remove from the pan and set aside
6
Remove the partridge from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the breasts and legs, and place aside to reheat for the final dish. Reserve the carcass for the sauce
7
Next, add the carrot, celery and shallots into the same pot and cook until dark golden brown. Reduce the heat, add the tomato purée and stir through for 2 minutes. Add in the tarragon, browned wing tips, necks and the partridge carcasses
Add enough water and pan juices from the deglazed pan to cover the contents of the pot. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat, simmer for 2 hours. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine chinoise
9
Pour into a clean pot and reduce to a fairly light consistency until it just starts to coat the back of a spoon - use a spoon skim off any fat or scum that rises to the top
10
Place a large pan on a medium heat and add the butter. As soon as the butter beings to foam, add the shallots and sweat until soft
Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender. Season with salt, remove from the heat and add the chopped tarragon to finish. Leave in a warm place until ready to serve
To make the carrot ribbons, peel the carrot and square off the edges with a sharp knife so you are left with a long rectangular carrot. Use a peeler to make long even strips of carrot. Place the strips in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove from the water and leave in a warm place
Reheat the partridge breasts and legs, brussels sprouts and parsnip in the oven for a few minutes
14
To serve, place the partridge legs and breasts into the middle of each plate. Assemble the roast vegetables next to the partridge, drizzle with tarragon jus and serve immediately
Mark Dodson speaks the language of comfort food with Shakespearean fluency, turning perfectly formed elements into down-to-earth (but heavenly) compositions.