With poussin, roasts are not just for Sundays

For 2 people in 1 hr 20 mins – mostly roasting time, which leaves room for plenty of wine appreciation time J

So, it’s currently four degrees centigrade. It’s going to get down to zero tonight. Later this week, it should get to minus one. It’s also April.

Constant talk about the weather is one of those quaint stereotypes I thought was hysterical in my parents’ British friends while I was growing up. And yet, seven years in a city where you need to be armed for the day with an umbrella and sunglasses and I find myself talking about the weather. Constantly.

Will or won’t the sun shine? How has the snow turned to rain and then back into snow in the space of 15 minutes? Where did this biting wind come from?

All fascinating stuff, and it makes me dream of soups, thick stews, big bowls of pasta and filling, warming roasts.

If you fancy a mid-week roast, this one is easy, delicious and takes just under an hour and a half to make, which is not too bad really.

Poussins are a great roast as they cook quite quickly and are very tender and moist. If you buy them spatchcocked they roast in 20 minutes flat. They also look great on a table as everyone has their own individual bird.

Ingredients

Birds

2 poussin

½ lemon

2 cloves garlic

1 sprig rosemary

Sauce – note this is actually enough to serve more like 6-8 people

½ bottle red wine

195g cranberry sauce

8 juniper berries

1 big sprig rosemary

5 black pepper corns

Parsnips

2 parsnips

A generous slice of butter

A few tbsps cream

1 tbsp grated fresh horseradish

Salt and pepper

Method 

I served this with steamed kale on the side for some greenery.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Put all the ingredients for the sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until it is reduced by 1/3 or substantially thickened.

Cut the lemon into quarters, garlic cloves in half and rosemary spring in half. Stuff the birds with an equal amount of each and put on to roast.

Peel and cut the parsnips into cubes. Put on to boil until soft. Mash with a generous slice of butter, a couple tablespoons of cream or to taste, the horseradish and salt and pepper to taste.

Plate up, serving the sauce in a gravy boat on the side for people to help themselves.