Roast young grouse with confit leg ravioli and wild mushroom sauce – by Ian McNaught

Ingredients
(Serves four)
For the confit
Legs of four young grouse
50g rock salt
1/2tsp thyme
400g goose fat
For the ravioli
80g pasta dough
200g chicken breast
1/2tsp chopped sage
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
100ml double cream
Confit grouse leg meat
For the wild mushroom sauce
3tsp oil
Bones and giblets from grouse
50g each of chopped carrots, leek, onion and celery
50g dried cèpe
50ml each of port, Madeira and brandy
1 chicken leg
300ml chicken stock
150ml veal stock
100ml water
For service
4 young grouse, legs removed
8 slices pancetta
2tbs oil

Method
For the confit, rub legs with salt and thyme and refrigerate for 12 hours. Rub off salt and thyme, and confit in fat until meat flakes off bones.

For the ravioli, blend chicken breast with whole egg and egg yolk, pass through sieve, set over bowl of ice and slowly add cream. Fold in chopped sage, season, add confit grouse leg meat. There should be more filling than you need.

Roll out pasta and make into four ravioli.

For the sauce, heat oil in pan, brown bones and vegetables, deglaze with port, Madeira and brandy.

Add chicken leg, dried cèpe and giblets; pour on the chicken stock, veal stock and water. Bring to the boil, skim, simmer for one hour and pass through muslin. Reduce to sauce consistency.

For service, heat oil and season and seal grouse crown; cover each bird with two slices of pancetta. Put in oven at 200°C for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and rest in warm place for five to seven minutes.

Remove breasts from the bird, arrange on four warmed plates, each with one raviolo, and garnish with seasonal vegetables. Pour over the sauce.

Ian McNaught is the head chef at the Roman Camp hotel in Callander, Perthshire. Tel: 01877 330003.