Seasonal Game Recipes for September

One of the best things (if not the very best thing) about September and autumn is the myriad of wonderful, seasonal and comforting food that becomes available in late summer and throughout the autumn months.In celebration of the upcoming season, we have gathered a few seasonal and delicious game recipes for you to try out at home. Buying seasonally allows you to buy locally, giving you far superior flavour and quality of products.

Readily available game in season in September includes Partridge (September 1st - February 1), Duck (September 1st - January 31st) and Red Grouse (August 12 - December 10). The recipes below all champion these great game meats...

Roast Partridge with Thyme Butter, Wild Mushrooms and Parsnip Puree (from gametoeat.co.uk)

Serves 4. Preparation Time 30 mins. Cooking Time 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

4 whole, oven ready partridge
125g butter
6 sprigs of time, with the leaves removed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 clove garlic, peeled but not crushed
200g mixed wild mushrooms
50ml white wine
4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
200ml double cream
200ml milk
Salt and pepper to season

Preheat the oven to 180C.

To create the thyme butter, mix 100g butter with 1 tbsp of fresh thyme leaves, 1 clove garlic and plenty of salt and pepper. Rub the butter all over and under the skin of each bird and place on an oven try. Cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes and baste regularly. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to rest.

To make the puree boil the parsnips with 1tsp of thyme leaves and garlic, until tender. Strain and liquidise. Add the cream, milk and seasoning to the parsnips and warm through. You should create a mash consistency.

To cook the mushrooms, heat 25g of butter in a frying pan on a high heat. Add the remaining crushed garlic and thyme. Mix in the mushrooms and a splash of white wine and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the mushrooms are soft and tender.

Use the puree as a base to serve the partridge on top of.

Picture from www.gametoeat.co.uk

Crispy Orange and Maple Whole Fried Duck (from greatbritishchefs.com)

Serves 2. Preparation and Cooking Time 1 Hour.

Ingredients:

Duck marinade:

1 large duck
50ml soy sauce
2 oranges (juice 100ml and zest)
20ml maple syrup

For the batter:

2 egg whites
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cornflour
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Cut the duck into two, lengthways.

Combine all of the marinade ingredients. Coat the duck and leave to marinade in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, or for best results 24-48 hours.

Remove from the marinade and place in a steam ovenat 90°C for 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can place the duck in a stove top steamer for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

To make the batter, whisk the egg whites with salt and slowly add in the cornflour as the whites begin to increase in volume. Continue to whisk to medium peaks.

Generously coat the duck in the batter and deep fry at 180°C for 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy.

Once deep fried, slice the duck and serve with your choice of accompaniments.

Picture from www.greatbritishchefs.com

Classic Roast Grouse with Bread Sauce (from www.telegraph.co.uk)

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

Olive oil

2 grouse

2 sprigs of sage

4 rashers of streaky bacon or pancetta

2 handfuls of watercress, to serve

Game chips to serve (optional)

For the bread sauce:

700ml whole milk

4 cloves

½ a small onion, chopped

2 blades fresh blade mace

1 bay leaf

100g day-old bread, crusts removed, torn into chunks

50g butter

A few gratings of nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ Gas 7. Make the bread sauce by pouring the milk into a saucepan and placing over a medium heat. Press the cloves into the onion and place in the pan along with the mace, bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Remove from the heat as it approaches the boil and leave to infuse for at least half an hour.

Add a generous splash of oil to a heavy-based frying pan and place over a high heat. Rub the grouse with oil, season and stuff the sage into the cavities. Brown them on all sides in the hot pan. Transfer to a roasting tin or dish and place two slices of bacon or pancetta over each bird. Place in the oven for 10 minutes for medium-rare. Cover with foil and rest, breast-side down, for at least 10 minutes.

Return the milk pan back to a low heat and remove the spices with a slotted spoon. Stir in the bread and a pinch of pepper and cook slowly for five minutes while the grouse is resting. Just before serving, stir in the butter until it has melted and add more salt if you feel it needs it. Grate over the nutmeg and serve with your grouse, along with watercress and, if you choose, a handful of game chips.

Picture from www.telegraph.co.uk