Partridge and partridge : The partridge and the partridge are game feathered (family Phasianidae), very appreciated and hunted throughout France and in European forests.
There are two main varieties: red partridge and gray partridge.
Male or female, the partridge is called a “partridge” when it is less than 8 months old. The partridge can be recognized by its flexible beak and the first wing feather, marked with a white dot. The very young opening partridge is called “pouillard”.
The red partridge, the largest (400 to 500 g), has a reddish back and belly, a white throat and a red beak and legs. The gray partridge, reddish gray on the back and ash gray under the belly, with a brown spot on the male, is the best known. Exported to America, it adapted very well in southern Canada and the northern United States. The bartavelle partridge, close to the red partridge, which enjoyed a high gastronomic reputation, has become extremely rare; it lives mainly in the Alps, above 2 meters.
The hake (American partridge), introduced into France, gives good results. In Quebec, we also call certain local species “partridges” such as the ruffed grouse, the ptarmigan (white partridge) and the té-Mas (savannah partridge); they are often cooked with baked beans or roast pork, which makes them softer.
Quote from Curnonsky, French gastronome : “Above all, avoid the left thigh of the partridge, because it is on this that it perches, which spoils its blood circulation and makes its flesh hard.”
See as well " Partridge »Under Slang of mouth.
Culinary uses of partridge and partridge : The partridge, at the chair tender et melting, is fast cooked ; bard or surrounded by vine leaves, he is roast with berries de juniper or raisin, eventually stuff and cooked in drop of blood.
The partridge requires a baking more prolonged than for the partridge (we consider that the latter no longer has the right to this name after October 1st, because, as they said at the time when Saint-Rémi was celebrated on that day: “At On Saint-Rémi, all partridges are partridges.”
Very young, the partridge adapts, in fact, like the partridge (pastry, messed up, soufflé, truffle, riding a pan ou casserole, riding a warm cold, riding a strainer, riding a stifling, Cold en jelly or mousse, etc.).
Old, it is classically prepared in chartreuse (See Chartreuse), to lentils or cabbage, and is also used for farces, mash et grout.
Some culinary preparations of partridge and partridge :