Recipe: Balsamic Hungarian Partridge
This is one of my favorite ways to cook and eat Hungarian partridge because it’s quick, simple, and requires only the skinned breasts; which is the easiest way to break down one of these delicious little birds. It presents well on a large platter served as an appetizer or makes a well rounded entrée served over a bed of wild rice alongside a hearty vegetable.
Ingredients
2-4 Skinned partridge breasts
1-2 Teaspoons of olive oil
1 Lemon for zesting
Salt and pepper
Spring of fresh rosemary or thyme
Balsamic glaze
Instructions
1. Place pan on the stove over medium high heat and let pan come to temperature.
2. While the pan is heating sprinkle salt and pepper on breasts. I usually like to dry brine all my birds for 24 hours ahead of time and if you do this omit the salt here and just add pepper, they’re already pre-salted and ready to go.
3. Pour the olive oil in the heated pan and let it cover all surfaces. Once the olive oil has come to temp, place the breasts cutlet side down in the pan and make sure they are not touching each other.
4. Cook them for 2 minutes per side and flip them a third time with the cutlet held open to brown the additional surfaces between the cutlet and the main breast meat. Only leave them in the pan for 30 seconds on the third flip.
5. Remove from heat and let the breasts rest until they are cool enough to handle.
6. Slice them into ¼ inch slices and place on a plate so the slices lay on their side supported by each other, kind of like dominoes that have toppled over in a line. If serving as an entrée, leave the breasts whole and place them over a starchy side like wild rice or polenta.
7. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over top of the meat and lightly cover the plate with zest of about a quarter lemon. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve while warm.