Maple-glazed partridge and parsnips

I love a smashed root vegetable purée. They hold well and remove the need for perfect timing. My secret for almost every root vegetable is butter. If you chop the vegetables into small, even-sized pieces and cook them in a proper amount of butter and salt in a lidded casserole, your purée will be a beautifully rich and concentrated version of the vegetable. Adding water, cream, milk or onions just dilutes the flavour. I really like the addition of maple syrup, as I find it has a savoury nature that works well with meats; make sure you buy proper maple syrup, not one that is just maple flavoured. Splaying the legs of the partridge will help it to cook more evenly. The lean white meat will become dry if overcooked, so keep the temperature low to ensure it retains a pink blush and stays moist. It is better to use liquid chicken stock rather than a stock cube, but check it does not contain flour or other stabilisers – these ingredients will cause the stock to thicken too much as it reduces, sabotaging the recipe.

Serve with

• 1 head radicchio, leaves roughly torn
• 1tsp honey
• 2tsp Dijon mustard
• 4tsp red wine vinegar
• 2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Put the radicchio leaves in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix all the other ingredients together and pour over the leaves. Toss well before serving.