How to Butcher and Cook Grouse with James Durrant

Roasted grouse:

• Remove the legs and offal from the grouse, leaving the breast attached to the crown.
• Use all trimmings (neck and backbone) for braising the legs.
• Roast the breast on the crown in the oven for 2-4 minutes at 185 degrees depending on size and carve when needed.
• Keep offal to make Pâté.

Braised legs & sauce:

• Roast bones from prep in a pan.
• Add diced vegetables and thyme, roasting until browned.
• Add white wine and Madeira, reducing until thickened.
• Add chicken stock, bring to the boil and add pre-seared grouse legs.
• Simmer until legs are tender.
• Remove legs and allow to chill.
• Once chilled, remove thighbone.
• Pass off liquid to separate pan and reduce until required consistency for sauce.

Thyme:

• Deep fry 12 sprigs of thyme at 160 degrees.

Pâté:

• Pan roast all offal until golden on outside.
• Pan roast foie-gras until golden and cook in oven until cooked through.
• Add shallots, garlic and port to pan and cook until liquid is reduced.
• Chill all elements.
• Once chilled, blend all elements together.
• Spread on to brioche when plating.

Game chips:

• Peel potatoes and slice on mandolin, rotate by 90 degrees per slice to create a criss-cross effect.
• Fry at 160 degrees until golden.

Bread sauce:

• Add the onion and cloves, add to a pan with milk and heat gently for 20 minutes to infuse.
• Remove the onion and cloves and whisk in breadcrumbs. Whisk until thickened and creamy.

Parsnip puree:

• Chop parsnips roughly and boil in milk until soft.
• Remove from milk and blend with butter until smooth.

Baby onions:

• Peel and roast in vegetable oil until golden.
• Add 1 spoon of sugar and chicken stock and reduce.