Brace of Teal, Whole

Teal are shot from 1 September to 1 February.

Smaller than its cousin the mallard, teal is a wild duck much loved by our chef community for its bold flavour and delicate texture. We love to pair teal with fruity sauces or accompaniments as we believe they are the perfect foil for this diminutive bird.

One bird is one small portion, two birds make for a more generous main course.

The landscape on our doorstep is rich with wild game, as such we work with smaller shoots across The Yorkshire Dales who manage the landscape sympathetically and maintain high levels of biodiversity, something we feel is of prime importance.

Chef Valentine Warner talks teal:
"Oh, oh, oh the teal, our smallest British duck should be considered as one of the truest among table treats!

Hunting teal has taken me to some of the wildest, most secluded woodland and magical moorland ponds. My hunting has been done in the early hours of morning, when the teal come in to feed. Sitting stock still and listening to the hoots of owls or barking foxes and suddenly there'll be 'whooshing' sounds all about as these tiny ducks arrive, swooping down to drop into the water 'plop, plop, plop'. When it is felt the pond is sufficiently filled and either my silhouette, at once revealed over the hide, or a whistle blast from the shoot captain will see them flush up from the water in a flurry. Distinctive in their vertical takeoff and rapidly ascending flight, in such dark dimness my success is limited as I'm really not very good at it.

For all the excitement and when we do collect them up in the morning light, the shooting done, there is a sadness that comes when looking down upon this beautiful little bird, the drake with its bronze and green striped head, the speckled grey female just as pretty in her more modest plumage. But it is I guess this sadness, this important grief that urges me to treat such an ingredient with the greatest of respect and enjoy each and every morsel with thanks. I hunt them rarely and this suits me, I eat them rarely and so, as already said, they remain the greatest of treats.

Teal should be oven roasted and eaten without culinary complication."