Searching for a Sunday lunch showstopper? Partridge is ideal if you're cooking for just the two of you, and the salt baked celeriac makes a change from roast potatoes. You'll need to set aside a few hours in the kitchen, but trust us - it's worth every minute. Thanks to Eat Wild for sharing this recipe with us.
Serves: 2
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 2hrs
Ingredients:
- 500g Mixed beetroots (red, candy, golden)
- 1x Whole partridge
- 1x Celeriac
- 20g Egg white
- 100g Salt
- 300g Plain flour
- Water
- 3x Sprigs of thyme
- 1x Garlic
- 3x Sprigs of rosemary
- 50g Goose fat
- ½x Peeled onion
- 1x Celery stick
- 1x Carrot
Equipment:
- 2x Roasting trays
- Food mixer
Method:
- Rub the partridge with the goose fat, salt, pepper and herbs. Slice the garlic in halves, and place them inside the cavity of the bird.
- Place the prepared bird in a casserole dish with the carrot, onion and celery, top with 200ml water and cover. Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes at 160 degrees.
- Once you've put the partridge in the oven, attach a dough hook to your food mixer, add the flour and salt and egg white and mix. Add a little water as you go until the mixture starts to look like a stiff, firm dough.
- Roll out your dough, peel the celeriac and place it in the centre. Wrap the dough up and around the celeriac so it's completely covered; it doesn't have to be neat, as you'll discard it later. Put the whole thing in the oven with the partridge for 1 hour.
- Now, prepare the beetroot. Season the beetroot with rapeseed oil and salt, and then wrap each in an individual tin foil parcel with a sprig of thyme.
- Place in the oven at 160 degrees for 45 minutes, until just soft. Try to use similar sized beetroot to keep cooking time consistent. If you have a few that are bigger, just give them a little extra time in the oven. When the beetroot is ready, unwrap the parcels then peel and slice into random shapes.
- Check on the celeriac and partridge. When time's up, bring out the partridge to rest while you crack open the salt crust and slice up the celeriac.
- Once everything's ready, place the partridge in the centre of a plate or board, and arrange the beetroot and celeriac around the sides. Garnish with fresh rosemary and thyme, and serve as a table centrepiece.