Brian Grigor, head chef of Michelin starred Number One at The Balmoral Hotel, is supporting the efforts of the Gift of Grouse and Scotland’s regional moorland groups in highlighting the ‘hill-to-plate’ credentials of grouse to mark the start of Great British Game Week, 20th – 26th November 2017.

Grouse has growing in popularity on the back of Scotland’s top chefs championing the use of it on menus throughout the season and there are many outlets now stocking ‘oven-ready’ grouse for the public, making it an affordable and popular game meat alternative for household kitchens.

Brian is passionate about cooking with grouse and has kindly shared one of his appetising grouse recipes for you to try at home:

 Young grouse with salt baked celeriac, Scottish brambles and roasted nuts

Ingredients:

• 2x young grouse
• 2x heads of celeriac
• 110grms of egg whites
• 700grms of salt
• Juniper berries, thyme and rosemary
• 12xbrambles
• 12xGirolle mushrooms
• 1x head of rainbow chard
• 10grms pistachios
• 10grms of hazelnuts

Cooking instructions:

1. To make the salt dough whisk the egg whites until foamy, add the salt and herbs until it forms a dough.
2. Wrap the whole celeriac in the dough making sure there are no holes. Glaze with egg wash and place on a bed of salt on a tray. Cook in the oven at 170 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. You can use a cooking needle to check if it is cooked.
3. Remove the head legs and wings from the grouse and take out the wish bone. Confit the legs slowly in rapeseed oil with aromats until tender. Flake the meat when cooled.
4. Roast the crown of grouse in a hot pan until evenly coloured, place on its back and roast in the oven for around 8-10 mins or until cooked. Leave to rest for 10 mins.
5. Remove the celeriac from the salt crust and slice 1cm thick. Cut out a square from the slice.
6. To make the celeriac puree, peel and dice the other celeriac and cook slowly in milk until soft. Drain and blitz with some of the cooking milk until smooth.
7. Serve the grouse breasts on top of the celeriac, rainbow chard and the confit meat. Garnish with sautéed Scottish Girolle mushrooms, celeriac puree and the chopped nuts.
8. In the restaurant we serve the dish with a grouse sauce made with red wine and finished with grated dark chocolate and Scottish brambles.

Happy cooking!