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.
