Traditional Roast Grouse II

Ingredients:

4 whole grouse, cleaned and prepared
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
4 sprigs of heather (optional)
2 tbsp butter
4 slices of toast
6 slices of fatty bacon
2 dessert spoons plain flour

Method:

Wash the birds well, dry inside and out then season liberally (both inside and out) with salt and black pepper. Place 1/4 of the butter in the body cavities of each bird. It's traditional in some places to place a sprig of heather in the bird (bell heather) but you do not have to do this.

Truss the grouse then sit each bird on a piece of toast then cut the bacon in half and arrange the rashers over the breasts before placing in a roasting tin (ensure the birds are still sitting on their pieces of toast). Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 200°C and roast for 30 minutes, basting frequently. After 20 minutes remove the bacon, dredge the breasts with flour (easiest done if you scatter the flour on top) then cook for a further 10 minutes.

Serve the grouse on the toast on which it was roasted, accompanied by a gravy made from the pan juices. Remove the heather (if used) and serve with fried crumbs, Matchstick Potatoes and bread sauce.