One of Britain’s top chefs, Jamie Oliver, shares a delicious home-style recipe: pan-fried partridge with barley, peas, and a fresh salad.
- 100 g of pearl barley
- 1 red onion
- 200 g fresh/frozen green peas
- 500 ml chicken/vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon of bitter flour
- 25 g butter
- 2 medium partridges (or any other small feathered game)
- 100 g smoked bacon, cut into pieces
- thyme
- a small handful of lettuce leaves
- handful of arugula
- olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
It’s time to start experimenting with game birds. The meat is tender and flavorful, and a simple barley porridge with peas and salad makes the perfect pairing.
Boil the barley in salted water for about 50 minutes until slightly undercooked. Drain and return to the heat to dry off any excess moisture. In a separate pan, heat some olive oil and gently fry the onion with a bit of salt over low heat for around 10 minutes. Add the barley and peas, pour in the stock, and bring to a gentle boil. Let it simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, mash the flour and butter together thoroughly with a fork — a classic French method for thickening ragouts and sauces. Add half of this mixture to the barley and peas and keep it over low heat. Cook for another 10 minutes, adding more stock little by little to keep it from drying out.
Heat olive oil in another pan. Season the partridge legs with salt and pepper and start frying them first — they take longer. Once they begin to brown, add the bacon and stir. Meanwhile, season the breasts with thyme, salt, and pepper, and press them firmly. When the bacon is crispy, move it and the legs to one side of the pan and place the breasts skin-side down. Fry for 4 minutes, flip, and cook 1 more minute until the skin is crispy and the meat juicy.
The breasts are done. Taste the barley, adjust seasoning if needed, then toss in the salad leaves and rocket — give it a minute, and it’s ready. Serve the partridge over the barley and scatter with crispy bacon.
It’s time to start experimenting with game birds. The meat is tender and flavorful, and a simple barley porridge with peas and salad makes the perfect pairing.
Boil the barley in salted water for about 50 minutes until slightly undercooked. Drain and return to the heat to dry off any excess moisture. In a separate pan, heat some olive oil and gently fry the onion with a bit of salt over low heat for around 10 minutes. Add the barley and peas, pour in the stock, and bring to a gentle boil. Let it simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, mash the flour and butter together thoroughly with a fork — a classic French method for thickening ragouts and sauces. Add half of this mixture to the barley and peas and keep it over low heat. Cook for another 10 minutes, adding more stock little by little to keep it from drying out.
Heat olive oil in another pan. Season the partridge legs with salt and pepper and start frying them first — they take longer. Once they begin to brown, add the bacon and stir. Meanwhile, season the breasts with thyme, salt, and pepper, and press them firmly. When the bacon is crispy, move it and the legs to one side of the pan and place the breasts skin-side down. Fry for 4 minutes, flip, and cook 1 more minute until the skin is crispy and the meat juicy.
The breasts are done. Taste the barley, adjust seasoning if needed, then toss in the salad leaves and rocket — give it a minute, and it’s ready. Serve the partridge over the barley and scatter with crispy bacon.
