Partridges en pistache

En pistache is a method of food preparation from the Languedoc in which there are garlic cloves in the cooking liquid.  This dish of partridges en pistache contains 24 cloves of garlic but, because they have been blanched, are not at all pungent.  The dish has a lovely southern flavour.

Preparation Time: 20 Mins

Cooking Time: 50 Mins

Total Time: 70 Mins

Ingredients

For 2 servings…

2                    Partridges  

2 rashers          Bacon       

                      Pepper      

                      Salt          

3                    Fat  - goose

2 tbs               Bacon  - chopped     

1 tbs               Flour        

6 tbs               Wine  - dry white     

230 ml             Stock  - chicken       

2 tbs               Tomato purée         

1                    Bouquet garni         

1 piece            Orange peel           

24 cloves         Garlic  - peeled and blanched in salt water

For the stuffing

2                    Livers  - from the partridges    

60 gms            Breadcrumbs          

2 rashers          Bacon  - chopped     

2 tbs               Parsley  - chopped    

1 clove            Garlic  - chopped     

1                    Egg          

Method

To make the stuffing…

Make a forcemeat with the livers, breadcrumbs, bacon, parsley and garlic and bound with the egg.

To prepare and cook the partridges…

Stuff the partridges with the stuffing, truss them, bard them with the bacon rashers, season with salt and pepper and brown all over in a flameproof casserole containing heated goose fat.  When golden all over, remove the partridges.

Place the chopped bacon in the casserole and brown it.  Sprinkle the flour and cook for a few minutes more.  Add the wine, stock, tomato purée, a bouquet garni and a small piece of orange peel.  Cook for 10 minutes.

Return the partridge to the casserole, cover and cook for 10 minutes.  Then add the garlic cloves and simmer for a further 30 minutes.  Remove the bouquet garni and serve the partridges straight from the casserole.

Wine recommendations

The dish requires a red wine.

Conventional

     Bordeaux Supérieur

Interesting

     Corbières

     Irouleguy

     Saumur-Champigny