Aberfeldy grouse, Balquhidder chanterelles and bread sauce

INGREDIENTS SERVES 4

1 young grouse – breast on the crown

Knob of butter

Splash of olive oil

Sea salt

Black pepper

For the Balquhidder

chanterelles:

Knob of butter

Juice from a third of a lemon

2 tbsp chopped parsley

3 tarragon leaves

Salt

Pepper

For the sherry vinegar jus:

250ml dark veal stock

75ml port

Sprig of thyme

Sherry vinegar to taste

For the bread sauce:

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 whole shallot, finely chopped

2 tsp sea salt flakes

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

100g wholemeal bread

150ml milk

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 whole cloves

Sprig of thyme

2 tbsp olive oil

50ml double cream

2 tbsp sherry jus

For the garnish:

Handful of foraged hairy bittercress or other salad leaves

Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Season the grouse. Heat a frying pan, add the knob of butter and pan fry the grouse breasts quickly until coloured on all sides.

Place the grouse crown in oven at 210 C /190 C fan /415 F/ Gas Mark 6 for 5-7 minutes, depending on the size.

Remove and transfer to a warm plate to rest for 5 minutes. Keep the pan to make thejus.

F or theBalqu hid derch ant er el les: Clean with a pastry brush. Put a pa non a medium to hot heat and add a knob of butter.

Add the chanter el les, season with salt and pepper. Add chopped parsley and tarragon, and a tiny squeeze of lemon juice.

For the sherry vinegar j us: De glaze the pan with the dark veal stock and port.

Add the spring of thy me and reduce this by two-thirds. Taste and season with a splash of sherry vinegar.

Taste and season with salt and pepper, pass through a muslin cloth until clear. Keep warm until serving.

For the bread sauce: Pre heat oven to 180C/160Cfan/350F/Gasmark4. Place garlic, thy me and shallots and diced bread in a small baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and olive oil.

Bake until bread is toasted, about 7-10 minutes. Place it in small sauce pan, cover with milk, add grated nut meg and whole clove. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes, remove c loves then puree in a food processor with the double cream and 2 tbsp of sherry vinegar j us. Season to taste. Keep it hot until service.

For the garnish: Wash hairy bitter cress in cold water, dry gently with dish towel. Season well with salt and pepper.

To serve: Carve the breast out of the crown. On warm plates wipe a good table spoon of the bread sauce, place grouse breast onto po fit and some chanter el les. Garnish with seasoned hairy bitter cress and sherry vinegar j us.