Ask your butcher to pluck and clean your grouse if you like but we would purchase them whole and intact for quality and flavour. When plucked, singe the birds lightly with the blow torch to take away any unwanted feathers etc. debone the legs, wings, wishbone and remove the innards, keep the hearts and livers for the canapé. Lay 2 slices of lardo over the breasts of each bird and tie for roasting, heat a large frying pan with a little oil, season the birds inside and out, sear the birds slowly all over being careful to not over do the breast meat paying particular attention to the back and sides. Add the salted butter, crushed garlic and thyme and baste the birds gently as they cook in the butter, move to a pre heated oven on 160°C and turn every 2 minutes, basting also. They will take about 10 minutes to cook to a nice pink, test the firmness of the flesh with you fingers, the meat should be firm but bounce back easily, take out of the pan and rest on a tray in a warm place. Take off the breasts and chop the bones for the sauce.
With the legs, singe with the torch and heat the duck fat to melt and add the legs, allow to confit slowly on a very low heat, being aware not to boil, these will take about an hour to confit. Let the legs rest and cool in the pan, remove and to reheat crisp the legs in a small non stick pan in the oven at 160°C for about 10 mins, season and serve.
Black pudding crumble:
Chop the chicken skin until a coarse breadcrumb consistency, peel the black pudding and chop, heat a small pan and add the pudding, with a small whisk mix and allow to cook gently on the heat. when dark and crumbly pour out onto a tray and allow to cool, mix with the panko and chicken skin, season and set aside.
Liver toast:
Chop all the hearts, livers and foie gras together, heat a small frying pan over a medium heat, add the butter and let it foam, add the liver mix and sauté fast, season and add the chopped thyme. Finally, add the Armagnac, taste and correct if necessary, slice the baguette lengthways and toast, spread the liver mix when ready to serve.
Sweetcorn puree:
Boil the kernels in the stock gently, toast the curry powder over a low flame lightly to open the flavor, add to the kernels and cook gently until well cooked. when cooked drain the stock out, add the kernels to the blender and blend well. Whilst still hot add the cream and butter, continue to blend until smooth and thick, take out, check the seasoning, pass through a fine sieve and set aside, keep covered until needed.
Pickled carrot ribbons:
Trim the carrots and scrub them, with a Japanese mandolin slice the carrots lengthways into thin strips, bring the rest of the ingredients to the boil and pour over, leave to pickle and cool, preferable for 2 hours.
Buttered savoy cabbage:
Remove the stalk of the cabbage and break into leaves. Cut 5 cm squares from the leaves, you will need 16 in total, warm the butter in a medium pan, add the cabbage when just foaming, move gently around so not to burn, season as cooks, drain after 3-4 minutes, serve immediately.
Sauce:
In a large pan roast the vegetables until coloured, add the spice, thyme and the chopped carcasses and trimmings, deglaze with a little water and reduce and glaze the bones over. When dry add half the whisky and glaze again, add the elderberry vinegar and glaze again, add the stock and bring to the boil. Skim and turn down the heat, let this simmer gently for an hour or so to extract all the flavours, strain to a smaller pan and reduce to consistency needed, coating the back of a spoon, season to taste and finally strain again. Finish with the rest of the whisky and more vinegar if needed to taste, reheat to serve.