Roast partridge with bacon, garlic and thyme

Ingredients

2 young partridge, drawn, livers reserved
salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 garlic cloves, blanched for 10 minutes in boiling water
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 rashers streaky bacon
2 tbsp light olive oil
100g/4oz unsalted butter
2 shallots, sliced
250ml/8fl oz brown chicken stock

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2. Season the birds inside and out with salt and pepper and place half of the garlic and a sprig of fresh thyme inside each bird. Drape the bacon over each bird and truss into place with string.
3. Heat the oil and 15g/½oz of butter in a large ovenproof pan until the butter is foaming and very hot. Add the partridge and fry briefly on all sides, then place in the preheated oven and roast for 30-35 minutes, or until completely cooked through. Test with a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh meat - the juices should run clear.
4. Remove from the oven, turn the birds breast down and allow the birds to rest for five minutes. Remove from the pan.
5. Using the same pan that the partridges were cooked in, sweat the shallots in a little butter.
6. Meanwhile untie the birds and remove the bacon and the garlic cloves from the inside of the birds.
7. Chop the bacon into 5mm/¼in pieces. Set aside with the garlic.
8. Cut off the legs and the breasts from the birds and keep in a warm place.
9. Chop the partridge bones and livers and add to the shallots. Cook gently for a few minutes.
10. Add the stock, thyme and two of the garlic cloves. Simmer for five minutes then strain through a fine sieve into a small pan.
11. Boil the liquid until reduced to a sauce consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
12. Whisk in 15g/½oz of butter and season with salt and pepper and a few leaves of fresh thyme.
13. To serve, fry the reserved bacon pieces and garlic cloves gently in butter until the bacon is starting to crisp up and the garlic is beginning to brown. Make sure the partridge is still warm and then arrange on warm serving plates. Pour over a little sauce and then garnish with the fried garlic and bacon pieces.