THE PEAT INN BY ST ANDREWS

Nestled in the picturesque countryside, just outside St Andrews, Fife.  The Peat Inn offers a truly exceptional dining experience that has earned it a prestigious Michelin Star.

From the moment you arrive, you are greeted with warm hospitality and are fined atmosphere that sets the stage for an unforgettable culinary journey. The dining space itself is divided across three small intimate rooms, with the original log fire still on view and in use, in the lounge.

Winter Warmer Stay

The Peat Inn also offers eight beautifully appointed suites.  Each suite has been individually styled and carefully furnished, providing the perfect space to relax, stay the night and explore the area.

The team go above and beyond to ensure that every guest feels taken care of throughout their stay.  To personalised service to thoughtful touches, every aspect of your stay is carefully crafted to make your visit truly unforgettable.

Partridge with chestnuts recipe

Pan – Roasted Partridge

1 partridge, trussed

1 sprig of fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves, bruised

40 g of butter

120 mI of Madeira

vegetable oil

salt & pepper

Garnish

1 Swiss chard, bunch

200 g of broccoli florets

20 g of butter

salt & pepper

crispy chestnuts

4 chestnuts

150 g of butter

Quince

2 large quinces

40 g of butter

1/2 tsp thyme, chopped

1/2 tsp cinnamon • 50ml of dessert wine

Girolles

200 g of girolles

30 g of butter

salt & pepper

METHOD

1. Start by preparing the swiss chard. Remove the green leaf from the stem and shred to a thickness of ½ cm. Blanch in a pot of salted, boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain and refresh in ice cold water. Remove from the water, squeeze out thoroughly, cover and store in the fridge until required.
2. Preheat the oven to 190 ⁰ C / gas mark 5.
3. For the quince, cut each one in half and remove the core. Mix half the butter, thyme and cinnamon together and place in the middle of each quince to fill the gap from the core. Press the two halves back together and bake in the oven for 45 – 60 minutes, or until tender. Remove and reduce the oven temperature to 170 ⁰C / gas mark 3.5.
4. When ready, remove the skin from 1 quince and blend the flesh with the remaining butter and dessert wine until smooth. Allow the other quince to cool before removing the skin and cutting into 8 wedges. Set aside the wedges on a tray to reheat later.
5. For the chestnuts, use a sharp knife to score the base of each nut. Place on a tray and into the oven for 30 minutes until the skin starts to blister and come away from the centre.
6. Remove from the oven and while still warm use a small knife to peel away the skin. Cut the chestnuts into thin slithers, brush with a little melted butter and bake until crisp. Remove and store in a warm place until required. Increase the oven temperature to 200 ⁰ C / gas mark 6.
7. Place a heavy-based pan over a high heat. Add a good dash of vegetable oil to the hot pan and leave for a moment so that it is scorching hot.
8. Season the partridge with salt and add to the pan, brown evenly on all sides. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the garlic, thyme and pepper to the hot pan with half the butter and baste the partridge. Then, place the partridge, breast-side down, onto a baking tray and into the oven for 4 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, add 30 g of butter to a new pan. Once foaming, add the girolles and sauté until lightly golden. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat and keep warm until ready to serve.
10. After the first 4 minutes, turn the partridge over and cook for a further 4 minutes. Then, remove the pan from the oven and remove the partridge from the pan. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.
11. Place the pan back on a low heat and add the Madeira. Heat through and emulsify by stirring in the remaining butter at the last minute to finish the sauce.
12. While the partridge is in the final stage of cooking, reheat the quince wedges and purée. Blanch the broccoli florets in salted water for 2 minutes. Strain and toss in a hot pan with a small knob of butter and the Swiss chard, season with salt and pepper.
13. To serve, place the chard in the centre of each plate followed by 2 swipes of the warm quince purée. Carve the partridge into breasts and legs and use 1 of each per serving. Finish with the 2 wedges of quince, broccoli, girolles and crispy chestnuts. Drizzle over the Madeira sauce and serve immediately.