Willow Grouse with Pink Peppercorn Sauce
6 partridge breasts
3 tablespoons butter
Salt & pepper
Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
3 shallots, finely chopped
1 large sprig rosemary
1 large sprig thyme
6-8 juniper berries
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 tablespoons cognac
Pink peppercorns, crushed
Sweat the onion in butter. Add the juniper berries, rosemary and thyme springs. Sauté for a minute of two. Add the flour and combine.
Strain the sauce and return to the pan. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Then add the cognac and pink peppercorns. Set aside while you prepare the poultry.
Pour a puddle of sauce on a serving dish or on individual plates. Place the breasts in the sauce and pour more sauce over them. Sprinkle with pink peppercorns and garnish with rosemary and thyme. The red and green combination gives a nice Christmas holiday feel so consider this recipe for your holiday buffet.
Willow Grouse with Pink Peppercorn Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 Partridge breasts (can be substituted with 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts)
- 3 tbsp Butter
- Salt and pepper
Sauce
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 large sprig of rosemary
- 1 large sprig of thyme
- 6-8 juniper berries
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp Cognac
- 1+ tbsp pink peppercorns, crushed
Instructions
- Sweat the onion in butter. Add the juniper berries, rosemary and thyme springs. Sauté for a minute of two. Add the flour and combine.
- Add the chicken broth and blue cheese. Simmer for 20 minutes stirring frequently.
- Strain the sauce and return to the pan. Add the cream and bring to a simmer.
- Add the cognac and pink peppercorns. Set aside.
- Pre-heat your galley oven to 350º. Brown the breasts in butter then finish off by roasting them in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. (more if the breasts are bone-in)