Perdiz en Escabeche is partridge poached in a hot marinade of olive oil, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaf, then left to mature in the liquid for days. The escabeche both preserves the bird and seasons it through to the bone. It is eaten cold or at room temperature, and is one of the great game dishes of La Mancha.
Perdiz en Escabeche is the great game-bird preserve of Castile-La Mancha, where red-legged partridge (perdiz roja) is hunted every autumn. The escabeche technique — hot vinegar-oil marinade — is one of the oldest preservation methods of the Mediterranean, brought to Spain by the Romans and refined by the Moors. The dish is made after the hunt, then rested for 3-5 days so the bird matures in the marinade. It is the cold starter of every Castilian hunting lodge.
Cold partridge in a glossy amber marinade, the flesh stained dark with vinegar. The meat is firm, slightly dry (game birds always are), and deeply flavored — wild, acidic, peppery. A slice of the marinade-set garlic on bread is half the pleasure. Eat it with a glass of cold sherry before the main course.
The partridge is first browned in olive oil to develop flavor, then gently poached in the vinegar-oil marinade. The vinegar (a generous amount) lowers the pH, which preserves the bird and tenderizes the meat. The marinade must cover the bird completely and the dish rested in the fridge so the flavor penetrates to the bone. The garlic and peppercorns infuse over the resting days.
Variations
Some add carrots and onions to the marinade; some use white wine alongside the vinegar; the dish is eaten after 3-7 days of rest.
On the Palate
Where Perdiz en Escabeche sits in the Spanish flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 40 min active + 50 min waiting
- 110 min
Brown 4 partridges in olive oil in a wide pot, on all sides; remove.
Watch outBrown the partridges deeply on every side — a good crust here is what carries flavor through the long pickle.
- 23 min
In the same oil, soften sliced garlic, peppercorns, and a bay leaf.
- 32 min
Add a generous splash of white wine vinegar (about 200 ml) and 100 ml white wine.
- 430 min
Return partridges; add water to cover; simmer gently 30 minutes until tender.
- 52 min
Taste; the marinade should be sharply acidic; adjust salt.
Watch outThe marinade should taste distinctly sharp and vinegary — it mellows over the resting days, so a timid bite now fades to nothing.
- 62 min
Transfer partridges and marinade to a deep ceramic dish; the liquid must cover them.
- 74320 min
Cool; refrigerate at least 3 days (5 is better) before eating.
Watch outChill it a full three days or more before eating — the acid needs time to work its way into the meat right to the bone.
- 82 min
Serve cold or at room temperature, with the set marinade and bread.
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