Partridge with chorizo

This recipe comes from Portugal.  The partridges are braised with chorizo, bacon, vegetables and port.  Then, all the ingredients, except the partridges, are blended to make a creamy sauce.  The result is a particularly tasty dish.

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

Cooking Time: 40 Mins

Total Time: 1 Hr

Ingredients

For 2 servings…

30 gms            Butter       

½ tbs             Olive oil    

2                    Partridges  

30 gms            Bacon  - smoked lardons        

30 gms            Chorizo sausage  - diced         

½                   Onion  - chopped     

1 clove            Garlic  - chopped     

½                   Pepper  - chopped    

½                   Carrot  - chopped     

1 small bunch    Coriander  - fresh     

1                    Bay leaf     

                     Pepper      

                     Salt          

30 ml              Port         

Method

Heat the butter and olive oil in a flameproof casserole and sauté the partridges until they are a pale golden colour.  Add the bacon and chorizo and fry for another five minutes.  Add the vegetables and seasonings.  When they are all cooked and tender, add the port and continue to cook for about 20 minutes, until the birds are cooked.  Remove the birds and keep them warm.

Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and then put the rest of the sauce into a food processor and blend to create a creamy sauce which can be served with the birds.

Wine recommendations

A red Bordeaux-style wine is preferred.

Conventional

     Bordeaux

Interesting

     Chinon

     Irouleguy

     Saint Émillion

     Saumur-Champigny