Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

Stephen Ceideburg
4 Partridges, about 1 lb. each
1/4 c All-purpose white flour
Salt and freshly ground
-black pepper to taste
2 tb Olive oil
1 sm Onion, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, minced
3 tb Minced fresh cilantro
1 1/4 c Defatted chicken stock or
-water
2 Canned or fresh plum
-tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 Bay leaf
1/2 ts Dried thyme
1/2 ts Cinnamon
1/4 c Pepitas (green pumpkin
-seeds)
1/2 Dried mild dried pepper
1 Chipotle pepper or to taste,
-seeds removed
1/2 oz Unsweetened chocolate,
-chopped

This is a strong sauce, but partridge is an intensely flavored bird
and is equal to it. Serve with rice or soft flour tortillas. Note:
Pasilla and ancho peppers can be ordered from Dean DeLuca, 560
Broadway, New York, NY 10012, (800) 221-7714.

Tie partridge legs together and secure to the body with a toothpick.
Combine flour, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a shallow dish.
Dredge partridges in flour mixture. Heat oil in a deep casserole with
a lid over medium-high heat. Brown partridge in batches, turning, for
about 5 minutes. Set aside. Add to the pot onions, garlic, 1 Tbsp.
cilantro and 1/4 cup stock or water and cook for about 2 minutes, or
until softened. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, cinnamon and remaining
1 cup stock or water. Return birds to the pot, bring to a boil,
reduce heat and cover. Simmer, basting occasionally, for 20 to 30
minutes, or until the birds are tender and their juices run clear
when they are pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, roast pepitas over medium heat in a small, dry skillet,
stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Set aside. Roast pasilla and chipotle peppers in the same skillet for
about 30 to
40 seconds until fragrant.

Remove birds from the casserole dish and cool slightly. With poultry
shears, cut them in half, discarding the back bone. Set aside and
cover with foil to keep warm. Boil the sauce over high heat for 5 to
10 minutes, stirring often, until it has been reduced to 1 cup. Add
pepitas, dried peppers and chipotles to the cooking liquid and cook
for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove bay leaf and transfer the sauce to a
blender or food processor. Add chocolate and blend until smooth. If
the sauce seems too thick, add a little stock or water.

Return the sauce to the casserole dish and heat through briefly over
low heat. Taste for seasoning: it should be smoky, hot and slightly
bitter. Nap the birds with the sauce and garnish with the remaining 2
Tbsp. cilantro.

232 CALORIES PER SERVING: 29 G PROTEIN, 9 G FAT, 9 G CARBOHYDRATE;
101 MG SODIUM; 79 MG CHOLESTEROL.

From "Eating Well", Jan/Feb, 1992.

Posted by Stephen Ceideburg

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