Title: Perdrix Aux Lentilles
Categories: Entree Game French Vegetable Meat
Yield: 4 Servings

250	g	Bacon lardons
2		Old partridges 1 lb ea
30	g	Lard
1		Onion; chopped
1		Carrot; sliced
1		Bouquet garni
185	ml	White wine
185	ml	Broth
		Salt & pepper
BASIC INGREDIENTS
250	g	Lentils
1/2	lg	Onion; studded with
1		Clove
1	sm	Clove garlic
		Bouquet garni
		Salt & pepper
1	tb	Butter
		Lemon juice (optional)
1	tb	Chopped parsley

This recipe is good for tough old partridges or pheasants that need long cooking. Rabbit can be used instead.

If the bacon (or bauchspeck or lard fum‚) is very salty, blanch it 5 mins and refresh.

Truss the partridges. Heat the lard in a heavy casserole, add the bacon and fry briefly until lightly browned; remove it. Add the partridges and brown them well on all sides. Remove to a side dish too. Add the chopped onion and carrot and cook over a medium fire until they soften. Return the bacon and partridges to the pan and add one of the bouquet garnis, the broth (stock) wine and a pinch of pepper. Cover and simmer, turning the partridges over from time to time, for 1-1 1/2 hours or until the birds are tender.

While the meat is cooking, prepare and cook the lentils as in the main lentil recipe, discarding cooking liquor. When the partridges are cooked, remove them from the pot, remove trussing strings and halve them. (If using pheasant, quarter). Remove bouquet garni from pan and strain the liquid from the remaining contents. Reserve the liquid and add the strained vegetables and bacon, together with the meat, to the lentils. Bring back to a simmer and cook together 10 minutes to blend the flavours.

Boil the reserved cooking liquid, reducing until well flavoured, to make a gravy. Correct seasoning. Strain the gravy, add a little to the lentils and correct their seasoning. Either serve from the casserole or set the partridge halves atop the mounded lentils on a platter. Serve the remaining gravy separately. Recipe after Grigson & Willan MMed IMH c/o Georges' Home BBS 2:323/4.4

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