Fortnum & Mason: Christmas & Other Winter Feasts

· 250g fatty minced pork

· 250g minced game meat, such as pigeon, pheasant, venison, hare, or a mixture

· 100g fresh white breadcrumbs

· 75g caul fat

· 1 teaspoon chopped parsley

PORT SAUCE

· 1 teaspoon olive oil

· 20g butter

· 12–16 small round shallots, peeled and trimmed

· 100ml port or full-bodied red wine

· 250ml good dark beef or game stock

· ½ teaspoon cornflour, if needed

FOR THE CELERIAC PURÉE

· 1 small celeriac

· 100g butter

· 75ml double cream

· freshly grated nutmeg

FOR THE CARROTS

· 6 large carrots, cut lengthwise into quarters

· 1 teaspoon light soft brown sugar

· 25g butter

Gently cook the shallots, thyme, garlic and juniper berries in the butter until soft. Add the red wine and simmer until reduced by two-thirds. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Put the pork, minced game, breadcrumbs and shallot mixture into a bowl and mix well, seasoning with salt and pepper. To check the seasoning, cook a small spoonful of the mixture in a frying pan, then taste it. Add more salt and pepper to the rest of the mixture if necessary. Divide it into 8 and shape into balls.

Wash the caul fat in cold water, then dry on kitchen paper. Tease it out gently into super-thin, stretchy pieces. Cut them into squares large enough to wrap around the faggots. Gently wrap a square around each faggot, then chill the faggots for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat the oil and butter in a small, ovenproof frying pan, then add the shallots and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes so they start to colour. Transfer to an oven heated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and roast for about 20 minutes, until tender and golden. Season with salt and pepper halfway through the cooking time and stir well so that they colour evenly.

Simmer the port or red wine in a small pan until reduced by half, then add the meat stock. Continue to simmer until the mixture has reduced by two-thirds and thickened slightly. If it is not thickening, mix the cornflour with enough water to make a paste, stir it into the sauce and simmer for a minute longer. Add the roasted shallots to the sauce, check the seasoning and set aside.

Put the faggots into a small roasting tin and place in an oven heated to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Cook for about 20 minutes, until well browned, turning them halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile, cook the vegetables. Peel the celeriac, cut it into small chunks and cook in boiling salted water for about 15 minutes, until tender. Drain well, then return it to the pan and stir over a very low heat for a few minutes to drive off any excess water. Transfer to a food processor, add the butter and purée until smooth. Heat the cream in the pan, return the celeriac to it and heat through gently, seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

Cook the carrots in a pan of boiling salted water for about 4 minutes, until al dente. Gently heat the sugar in a non-stick frying pan until dissolved and beginning to caramelise. Add the butter, then remove the pan from the heat and tilt it gently so the butter and sugar emulsify. Return the pan to a low heat, add the carrots with a little of their cooking water and cook for 2–3 minutes, until lightly coated. Season with salt and pepper.