Name: Roast partridge with one-pan boulangère
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients: a knob unsalted butter; 2 partridges, oven-ready; 500g Maris Piper potatoes, thinly sliced; 1 onion, thinly sliced; a handful of leaves thyme; ground to make ½ tsp whole black peppercorns; 50g parmesan, finely grated; 250ml chicken stock; 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon, halved crosswise

A bowl filled with two roast partridges topped with crispy bacon with layered potatoes underneath

a knob unsalted butter
2 partridges
oven-ready
500g Maris Piper potatoes
thinly sliced
1 onion
thinly sliced
a handful of leaves thyme
ground to make ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
50g parmesan
finely grated
250ml chicken stock
4 rashers smoked streaky bacon
halved crosswise

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Melt a knob of butter in a 26cm ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and season the partridges well. Fry the partridges for 1 minute, breast-side down, until nicely browned, then remove to a plate.
step 2
Remove the pan from the heat and layer in the potato and onion slices, seasoning with the thyme leaves, black pepper, some salt and the parmesan between each layer and finishing with a layer of potatoes and a sprinkle each of thyme leaves and parmesan. Pour over the chicken stock, cover the pan with foil and roast for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.
step 3
When the partridges have cooled, arrange the bacon rashers over the partridge breasts in a lattice pattern. When the potatoes are ready, remove the foil (keep this to one side) and nestle the partridges on top. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until the partridges are cooked through and the bacon is starting to crisp. Cover with the reserved foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes, then serve the partridges alongside the potatoes and onions.