This recipe for partridge and courgette salad makes an elegant starter that has plenty of flavour. It is a wonderful way to showcase the tender first partridges of the season. Serves 2 as a starter.
Ingredients
Partridge dressing
- 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice and zest
- 1 small clove of garlic, peeled and crushed with a little salt
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 40g hard goat’s cheese, finely grated
Partridge marinade
- 1/2 lemon, zest and juice
- 1 small clove of garlic, peeled and crushed with a little salt
- A pinch of dried chilli
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 skinless partridge breasts
Courgette salad
- 10g basil leaves
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed with a little salt
- 1/2 lemon, zest and juice
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large courgette, washed and trimmed (about 200g)
To cook
- 2 tbsp olive oil
To serve
- 10g hard goat’s cheese, finely grated
Method
Partridge dressing
Mix everything in a small bowl with a little pepper.
Partridge marinade
Mix the marinade ingredients then toss through the partridge breasts. Leave for 10 minutes.
To cook
- Place a frying pan on a medium to high heat. Add the olive oil, then the breasts and all the marinade. Cook on both sides for a minute or two until browned but still pink on the inside.
- Remove, rest for a minute then slice each breast into three. Toss through the dressing.
Courgette salad
Blitz together the basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice and extra virgin olive oil to form a dressing. Using a peeler, peel the courgette into thin strips and place in a mixing bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss.
To assemble
Divide the partridge between two serving plates and top with the dressed courgettes. Finally scatter over the grated goat’s cheese.
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