The partridge (Latin Perdix) is a small wild bird of the pheasant family. It inhabits almost all wooded areas of the northern hemisphere, is an object of fishing, sports hunting and valuable game.
The poultry is prized for its delicious and very healthy meat. Partridge meat consists of high quality protein, water, ash, fat and a small portion (less than a gram) of carbohydrates. The composition includes valuable amino acids, vitamins A, E, PP, B vitamins, mineral elements – copper, tin, fluorine, phosphorus, molybdenum, chlorine and sulfur. The calorie content of partridge meat is 254 kcal per 100 grams of product.
There are three main types of partridges – kelik, white and gray, and all of them are the object of hunting.
Why is partridge meat useful?
The meat of these birds has excellent nutritional properties and is a dietary product. It practically does not contain cholesterol, so it can be safely consumed with obesity, problems with blood vessels, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
The medicinal properties of partridge were known back in the days of Avicenna – he considered this product to be a real medicine and recommended that patients use it for many ailments. Mineral elements that make up meat, in particular iron and magnesium, help to normalize electrolyte balance, regulate hemoglobin levels and improve the quality of blood.
Biotin, which is also part of the chemical composition of partridge meat, regulates carbohydrate metabolism and lowers blood sugar. Therefore, this bird is especially indicated for diabetics and people with other endocrine disorders.
How is it cooked
Partridge meat is a real delicacy. The best poultry is freshly shot, its meat is the most tender and tasty. But when deep frozen, the partridge does not at all lose its nutritional and taste qualities, therefore partridges can be found on sale in ice cream, although much less often. The game is usually sold fresh, only slightly chilled, during the hunting season.
The gourmet partridge meat is found mainly in the restaurant menu – partridges are most often cooked for the holidays. Since the poultry is small, it is usually roasted whole. A special delicacy is the stuffed partridge, which is prepared with a wide variety of fillings: apples, plums, potatoes, lemon. Less commonly, meat is used to prepare first courses, salads or pie fillings. A special delicacy is fricassee and partridge pate.
