Ptarmigan with Crowberries and Cream

About This Recipe

The rock ptarmigan is the only bird that lives year-round in Greenland and has been hunted for thousands of years. Roasted whole and finished in a sauce of crowberries and cream, it makes an extraordinary dish — the lean, faintly gamy breast meat contrasting with the tart, jewel-coloured berry sauce and pools of cream.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 2 wholeptarmigan (or substitute Cornish hen)
• 150 gfresh or frozen crowberries (or blueberries)
• 200 mlheavy cream
• 2 tbspunsalted butter
• 1 tbsphoney

Instructions

1. 1

   Season and sear

   Pat birds dry, season inside and out with salt and pepper. Melt butter in an oven-safe pan over high heat; sear birds breast-side down for 3–4 minutes until golden.

2. 2

   Roast

   Transfer pan to a 200 °C oven. Roast breast-side up for 25–30 minutes until juices run clear. Rest birds 10 minutes, tented loosely with foil.

3. 3

   Make the sauce

   In the same pan over medium heat, add crowberries and honey. Crush berries gently and cook 3 minutes until they burst.

4. 4

   Add cream

   Pour in cream, stir, and simmer 5–6 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened and a deep pink-purple. Season with salt.

5. 5

   Serve

   Plate each bird whole or halved. Spoon crowberry cream sauce over and around. Serve with roasted root vegetables or braised red cabbage.

Variations

• •

  Replace crowberries with lingonberries for a sweeter sauce

• •

  Add a splash of cloudberry liqueur to the sauce for a luxurious finish

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Leftover meat can be refrigerated for 2 days and used in a salad or sandwich.

Frequently Asked Questions