Ann Taruschio, Franco Taruschio

Roast Woodcock

Preparation info
  • Serves

    4

    • Difficulty

      Medium

Appears in
Leaves from The Walnut Tree: Cooking of a Lifetime
Leaves from The Walnut Tree

By Ann Taruschio and Franco Taruschio

Published 1993

  • About

Woodcock is a very prized species of game. It is a small bird and the dark flesh has a decidedly strong wild flavour. Allow the birds to hang for 3–4 days. Woodcock are not usually drawn and should be served medium to rare after 10–20 minutes cooking at the most.

Ingredients

  • 4 woodcock
  • 115 g/4 oz butter, melted
  • 8

Method

Brush the woodcock with the melted butter. Wrap 2 rashers of streaky bacon around each bird. Roast the woodcock in an oven set at 200°C/400°F/gas 6, for 10–20 minutes (rare or medium).

Place the toasted croûtons under the birds 5 minutes into the cooking time to catch the trail as it drops out. Before the birds are cooked, remove the bacon, baste the birds and return to the oven to brow