There’s a grouse in the house. Thankfully, he’s not still flying around. Rather, he’s nicely wrapped in parchment ready for a good roast. I don’t often come across grouse but the small ones are usually the small size as a pigeon or a pheasant. The meat is dark and deliciously gamey. Cooking them on the bone is the best way to enjoy the flavour.

They’re usually sold oven ready. That’s means there’s just the crown, legs and wings are gone. A grouse should feed two people but if it’s extra small I’d cook one per person. Particularly if it’s cold outside.

Preheat your oven to 180C. Get your frying pan on the stove. Season your grouse (or other small bird, such as a pigeon, pheasant or mallard). When your pan is good and warm add some oil, and sear the bird on both breasts. You’ll need to do this with one hand on the bird because it will keep wanting to fall. If you don’t like burning your fingers (in my world it’s how you measure your mettle) use some small thongs to fry the bird. When you’ve seared both sides, place the bird on its back for one minute.

Now comes the cool bit. Pour whiskey over the bird and set it alight! This fire should only last ten to fifteen seconds. The alcohol will burn off anyway so if you’re not fond of fire or even setting things on fire, I suggest you skip this step. When the fire has gone out, transfer the bird into the oven. Roast for 4 minutes for rare or 8 minutes for medium. Some people like to roast it with a little butter or some herbs, such as rosemary and thyme. When the bird is ready remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-8 minutes before carving.

As always, this part is vital. Don’t worry about the bird getting cold. If you want a warm place, turn your oven down to 50C.

To accompany your roast bird, I can suggest nothing nicer than some seasonal roasted organic vegetables: beetroot, squash and Jerusalem artichokes.