Grouse and wood pigeon

Apart from kicking off the game season, grouse is a truly delicious bird to roast quite simply, without too many frills. It’s a shame to braise it, unless you’ve been spoilt with an abundance of birds and are bored of roasting it. Try this twist for a change: Make a bread sauce much thicker than normal, set it in the fridge, then slice and pan-fry it (as you would polenta) and serve with a grouse breast and leg on top, as a starter. For a garnish, I add a leafy salad dotted with bacon and parsnip crisps. It’s a great way to get the most from an expensive bird, and an ideal choice in the game season if you’re serving a fish main course.