Game's the Game

British Game Week

Supermarkets are getting better at stocking produce that fits the bill when it comes to game, but it's still our high street butcher who'll find what you want, advise you and prepare it for roasting.

Zesty Duck

The easiest cut to create a fabulous supper is the breast, pan roasted and ready in 20 minutes or so.

Confit Duck Legs intensifies the flavour and breaks down the sinews leaving moist meat that falls off the bone.

An easy way to create the 'confit effect' is to sit the legs on a trivet over a little water, sealed with a foil lid and cooked for 1 1/2 hours in a very low oven, then - heat up, foil off and 15 minutes or so to crisp up the skin.

For the gravy, add 2 tbsp of Stokes Seville Orange Marmalade to a basic roux with a glass of port, a dash of cider vinegar, 1 tbsp of our Redcurrant Jelly and good beef stock. Reduce to a thick sauce and finish with a knob of butter to add a beautiful sheen.

[TIP: if the sauce is too sweet for you, add Stokes Chilli Jam or Classic English Mustard to balance the sweeter fruits.]

Fowl Tips

Both the Guinea Fowl and Pheasant here were roasted on winter veg as in this recent 'Winter Roast Chicken' recipe - HERE.

The Guinea Fowl was stuffed with quartered oranges and the skin rubbed with Stokes Real Mayonnaise for its sheen. The Pheasant came out of the oven after 30 minutes and finished in a pan of foaming butter with 2 tbsp of our Cider & Horseradish Mustard, basting constantly on all sides. The combined cooking time was about 50 minutes at 200°C/gas mark 6 (longer for a larger bird, until its juices run clear).

Served with the roasted roots, mashed potatoes and Stokes Cranberry & Orange Sauce on the side - wonderful. Better still with our Redcurrant Jelly and a dollop of Stokes Brown Sauce stirred into the gravy and a spoonful of our Creamed Horseradish Sauce in the buttery mash, it's a winner for two hungry souls.

 Rabbit 'n' Mac

You will have to ask the butcher to get this in for you unless you are lucky enough to live near a far sighted tradesman who stocks oven-ready rabbit. Leg joints or the saddle are the usual 'domestic' cuts used.

Season the leg (pictured), saddle (or both) and fry the meat gently in half and half butter and olive oil, basting until it is browned on all sides. Pop this into the oven, pre-heated to 180°C/gas mark 4, for just 10 minutes, remove and set aside, covered to keep it warm.

For the sauce: soften 2 finely diced shallots in butter for 7 minutes, then add 2 grated cloves of garlic and 75ml of white wine, reducing the simmering contents for 3 or 4 minutes before adding 100ml of chicken stock. Turn up the heat to reduce the contents by half as you stir in 1 tbsp of Stokes Classic English Mustard and 175ml of whipping cream.

Back down with the heat to simmer for 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the rabbit then back into the oven for 5 minutes to warm through and marry the flavours. Serve this with a simple cheesy mac and you'll be back to the butcher to order rabbit more often.

Loin of Venison

Classically outstanding, on the eye as well as the palate.

Work on a 400g loin for 2 people, cut in half and seasoned for cooking. (So for 4 people, 800g cut to 4 x 200g pieces.)

In a heavy based pan of foaming butter (with a splash of olive oil to stop it burning), sprinkle 1 tsp of thyme leaves. As they start to catch, put your 2 (or 4) pieces of meat into the pan for 2 minutes one side, 2 minutes the other and a minute each on the two uncooked edges (the maths doesn't quite work, but the cooking does). With each side seared, roll the loin pieces and baste well for 5 minutes before lifting the meat from the pan to rest.

Now, in the same pan's juices with the heat up, add 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp of Stokes Redcurrant Jelly, 2 tbsp of our Blackcurrant Extra Jam, 2 tbsp of Stokes Tomato Ketchup, a good splash of red wine and 175ml of strong beef stock. Reduce, reduce, add a knob of butter, reduce, taste, reduce - to make less considerably more.

Learn more about this extra special Christmas Selection - HERE.
It contains most of the sauces and condiments mentioned in the recipes (above) - and more.

Twelve Tastes of Christmas

Order your 'Christmas Larder' - HERE

More foodie thoughts for the week:


 


Beautiful Brussels - 
Find the right balance between 'crunch' and 'squish' to make sprouts your friend, not foe - here.







12 Tastes of Christmas - 
Hats off to the guys who created this extraordinary Christmas taste collection - here.








Share, Taste, Love - 
More ideas, tastes, favourites and sharing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram - here.

If good food makes you happy
...adding Stokes will make you smile ;)

FOOD MADE BETTER 
www.stokessauces.co.uk

01394 462150