Grouse Burger

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 35 mins

Thanks to Eat Wild for this inspirational recipe

• 4 brioche buns
• Jar of dark marmalade
• 4 handfuls of watercress
• 4 thick slices of smelly blue cheese
• 4 young grouse
• 250g fatty minced smoked bacon to mix with minced grouse breasts
• 12 rashers of rindless smoked bacon
• Bread Sauce
• ½ large white onion
• 6 cloves
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• Pinch of sea salt
• 350ml milk
• Pinch pepper
• 1 loaf ciabatta
• 15g butter
• 2 spoons double cream

Grind the grouse meat and the smoked bacon together and form four patties.

Meanwhile, simmer the milk with half an onion stuffed with the cloves, bay leaves and seasoning in a pan for 10-15 minutes. De-crust your loaf and put into the food processor until you have a coarse breadcrumb. Strain the milk and chuck the debris. Return milk to a boil, turn down the heat and slowly add the breadcrumb. Add butter and cream, seasoning to taste.

Cook your burgers as you would any other – about 4-5 minutes each side.

Add a generous slice of blue cheese, and bang under the grill for another four minutes. Let your burgers rest somewhere warm for a couple of minutes whilst you fry your bacon. Remove bacon from the pan and toast each side of the bap in the bacon juices.

Pile the burger and cheese, watercress, marmalade, bread sauce and bacon in the bap and enjoy.