Beer Berry Bird Recipes

BEER BIRD WITH CELERIAC PUREE

Steps:

• To make the celeriac: Peel and cut the celeriac into roughly 1-inch/2.5 cm pieces. Put the lemon juice, milk, and bay leaf in a large pot, pour over 8-cups/2 liters water. Add the salt, bring to a boil, and simmer until the celeriac is very tender.
• Drain, reserving a cup/250 ml of the cooking liquid. Remove the bay leaf. Stir the butter and cream into the celeriac, then puree until very smooth in a blender, adding as much of the reserved cooking liquid as needed to achieve a soft, smooth consistency. Season with pepper and salt, and keep warm.
• To make the hens: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Season the hens well with salt and pepper and place in a single layer in a baking dish. Tuck in the garlic, bacon, and herbs. Scatter over the juniper berries. Pour the beer in the side of the dish.
• Bake 15 minutes. Turn the pieces and bake another 15 minutes. Turn again and bake 15 minutes longer. By now the meat should be cooked and sticky with a slightly caramelized sauce. If the hens are done, but there is still too much sauce, simply keep the hens warm while you boil the sauce down a little. Serve the hens with the sauce - herbs, juniper and all - poured over.
• For the plate: Plate the celeriac puree and top with a piece of hen and enjoy!