The New Season

The beginning of September usually kicks off with Fennel, Figs, Game and the start of Harlequin’s season with the opening fixture at Twickenham against Wasps.

Rugby’s spiritual home a former cabbage patch harvested another great spectacle on the pitch resulting in a Quins victory; the only vegetables I spotted at the stadium were staff in the catering concessions. After queuing for 15 minutes a manager and two assistants took four minutes to serve me one portion of chips and a bottle of water, hardly what you’d call fast food.

By the time I got home I celebrated the win with Grouse, which I stuffed with Garlic and Thyme, wrapped in bacon and cooked on the oven rack for about 35 minutes at 1500C, the last 10 without the bacon, which I chopped up and fried off as Lardons. Underneath the rack I collected the game juices in a tray, which I added to a chicken and beef stock reduction. I also pan fried some thin slices of Fennel in butter, painted them with a fig jam and roasted them off in the oven for twenty minutes.

Tricky game may be a regular feature during autumn on this blog; Quins play Northampton on Friday which is also the Jewish Day of Atonement; divine intervention rather then doggy catering will account for a long fast over the weekend, lets hope it’s a feast on the rugger field, anything else would be a sin.