Moorland Grouse

With Elderberries, Tarragon & Mushrooms

Ingredients for just 2

2 Moorland Grouse, plucked
1 tbsp Rapeseed Oil
20g Butter
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper

For the sauce
80g Penny Bun Mushrooms or similar, sliced
80ml Port
Juice of 1 Lemon
A few sprigs of Tarragon, stalks removed, chopped, with a few whole leaves reserved
20g Elderberries

• Preheat the oven to 200℃. It is best to cook grouse whole, with the offal still inside.

•  Heat the oil and butter together in a heavy-based pan over a moderate heat, season the birds well with salt and pepper, place in the hot pan and brown the skin on all sides.

• Immediately transfer the hot birds to a roasting tin, place in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes.

• Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Add the mushrooms to the hot pan, cook them quickly, then lift them out and keep warm. Add to the pan the port, lemon juice, chopped tarragon and elderberries, boil rapidly for 2 minutes, then taste and season.

• Remove the grouse from the oven, cover to keep warm and allow to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

• Now comes the skilled bit: remove the breasts and a section of leg meat from the bone, scoop out the offal and find the liver and the heart.

• Arrange these prize components of the bird on individual plates; add the mushrooms, spoon over the sauce and dot with a few tarragon leaves.

• Serve with some crisp game chips alongside.