Perfectly painless partridge

I used the first recipe I came across on google for Mr P (who arrived unexpectedly in yesterday's post) and it was superb even tho we dont have bacon. Here's the whole recipe for anyone else fortunate enough to be bombarded with crashing partridge:

Preheat oven to 320F or 160 C

*2 partridge

*6 slices unsmoked streaky bacon

*1 lemon

*2 small pats of butter

*4 sprigs of fresh thyme

*2 T redcurrent or or plum jelly

*small glass of white wine or damson gin if you'd like a more raunchy dish

*salt and ground black pepper

Method:

1. Cut the lemon in half lengthwise and squeeze each half over a partridge rubbing the juice well into the flesh of the birds.

2. Put half a lemon into the cavity of each bird along with a pat of butter and a sprig of thyme.

3.Spread a tablespoon of red currant or plum jelly over the breast of each bird and put a sprig of thyme on each.

4.Season each bird and wrap with bacon strips, securing the bacon with a toothpick. Place the birds breast side down in a casserole dish. Splosh over the wine and cover the dish tightly. Use foil under the lid for a tight fit.

5.Cook for an hour or so until tender.

Manna from Heaven

This is the third time this has happened...we hear a loud thump, go out to investigate , and theres a dead partridge still twitching , laying under a window. Its my preferred method of hunting really, no birdshot or scary guns involved. Just a recurring delivery straight from the heavens to our house. We had two delivered last fall, half an hour apart and most delicious they were too.

I havent found out if they are just dumb birds and poor navigators or if its a territorial thing, maybe they are purposely attacking a perceived rival when they see their reflection in the glass.

Whatever the reason, its a 5 minute job to skin and clean a partridge, this one will be tomorrow nights supper with baked potatoes and assorted vegetables from the garden...yum!