- 90g butter
- 400g cranberries
- A handful of thyme
- 80g honey
- 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 300g buckwheat
- 2 fennel bulb
- 500g wild partridge breasts
- A handful of sage, leaves only
- 100g watercress
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 300ml boiling water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 saucepans
- 1 frying pan
- 1.
Add the butter to a pan and melt it over a medium heat. Tip in the cranberries, thyme leaves, honey, 1 tbsp mustard and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally, till the cranberries are soft. Roughly crush the sauce with the back of a spoon. Set aside.
- 2.
While the cranberry relish cooks, pour the buckwheat into a pan and cover with 300ml boiling water. Put a lid on the pan, bring back to a simmer and cook for 8 mins. Drain if necessary and tip back into the pan. Set aside, with the lid on.
- 3.
While the buckwheat simmers, trim the dry tips off the fennel bulb. Thinly slice it.
- 4.
Pour 1 tbsp oil into a frying pan and warm over a medium-high heat. Season the partridge breasts with salt and pepper. Fry for 2-3 mins on each side, till golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate, loosely cover with foil and set aside to rest.
- 5.
Slide the fennel into the frying pan and fry for 3-4 mins, stirring occasionally, till slightly caramelised. Stir in the sage leaves and cook for a further 1-2 mins.
- 6.
Divide the buckwheat between a couple of warm plates. Top with tangles of watercress, and the partridge breasts and fennel. Serve with dollops of the cranberry relish on the side.
- Tip
Relish the opportunity
This recipe whips up more cranberry relish than you'll need to serve with your partridge. You can keep any remaining relish in the fridge for up to 5 days, and warm it through before serving. It's a delicious addition to cold cuts, cheese boards, or stirred through hot gravy to add a touch of zing and sweetness.