Serves 4

• 800g of peeled Pumpkin
• 4 Crowns of partridge
• 800g Spinach
• A handful of sunflower seeds
• 100ml olive oil
• Rosemary (small sprig)
• 2 Cloves of garlic peeled
• 1 Bay leaf
• 50g butter
• A sprig of thyme

Chilli Oil

• 150ml Olive oil
• 10g Rosemary
• 2 Chillis
• Season

Method

The pumpkin

• Peel the pumpkin using a serrated knife, cut into 2cm dice removing all seeds (don't throw away).
• In a warm to hot large pan add 20g butter and sweat the pumpkin with crushed thyme, garlic and seasoning. Do so for 5-10 minutes, as the pumpkin slowly softens add 500ml water and cover pan, simmer for approx 7-10 mins or till soft.
• Strain pumpkin, keep cooking liquor. Blitz mixture in the food processor returning any liquor required to allow mixture to develop soup consistency. Adjust seasoning.
• Return to the pan with a knob butter to add richness and shine. Then take off the heat.

Partridge

• Remove the wishbone and make a wish!
• Pull the skin down to protect the breast whilst cooking.
• Put a little olive oil in a hot pan with some chopped rosemary and bay leaf and seal the partridge. Add a little butter to help the breast become crisp and golden and caramelised.
• Place in the oven for 6-8 minutes at 160c.

Spinach

• Add 10g butter to the spinach and a little water if necessary, stir over a medium heat in a pan briefly.

Chilli oil

• Chop the chilli roughly and infuse in the oil with the rosemary for 20 mins on very low heat.

Pumpkin seed garnish

• Add a little olive oil to the pumpkin seeds and some rock salt.
• Place in the oven for one minute or until golden brown.

Presentation

• Remove partridge breast from the bone.
• Plate simply in pasta bowl, by pouring soup no deeper than a centimetre, place spinach in the middle and partridge crossed over in the centre.
• Add pumpkin seeds and a little chilli oil.