Partridge with lentils

Lentils go extremely well with game birds and this recipe exploits that synergy.  It is a lovely dish.

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

Cooking Time: 1 Hr

Total Time: 8 Hrs

Ingredients

For 2 servings…

2                    Partridges  

  Pepper  - freshly ground, black         

  Salt              

2 tbs               Butter       

2 tbs               Olive oil     

110 gms           Salt pork  - fatty      

1                    Onion  - chopped finely          

2                    Carrots  - diced        

10 cl               Wine  - white          

10 cl               Stock  - chicken or game         

For the lentils

340 gms           Lentils  - Puy           

1                    Onion  - stuck with the cloves   

2                    Cloves       

2 cloves           Garlic  - skinned       

1 sprig             Thyme      

2 sprigs            Parsley      

                     Pepper  - freshly ground, black  

                     Salt          

Method

Sprinkle the partridge cavities with a little salt and pepper and sauté the birds in a flameproof casserole in the butter and oil with the diced fat salt pork, onions and carrots.  When the birds are golden on all sides, add the wine and cook until the wine is reduced by half.  Add the stock and season to taste.  Cover the casserole and simmer the partridges over a low heat until tender - about 45 minutes.

To prepare the lentils…

Soak the lentils overnight.  Drain them and cover with water, adding the onion, garlic, thyme, parsley and salt and pepper.  Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender but not mushy – about 30 minutes.  When cooked, drain the lentils and remove onion, garlic and herbs.

To serve…

Place the partridges on a hot serving dish and surround with cooked lentils.  Skim any fat from the pan juices, strain and pour over birds.

Variations

If Puy lentils are not available, then other types of lentil can be used.  In this case, the lentils do not need to soak overnight and the cooking time can be reduced

Wine recommendations

A red wine.

Conventional

     Bordeaux

Interesting

     Chinon

     Gamay de Loire

     Irouleguy

     Saumur-Champigny