Balbirnie Sauce For Cold Pheasant

This recipe for Balbirnie Sauce comes from the mid-19th century manuscript cookbook of Colonel Charles Ellice, a British Army officer whose long career stationed him for years in India and Scotland. His cookbook is a treasure trove of both culinary and medical recipes, reflective of the needs and tastes of a well-heeled officer on imperial campaigns. It sheds light on the kinds of culinary improvisations and innovations popular at the time, showcasing accessible luxury and resourcefulness in using British condiments like mushroom ketchup and Harvey’s sauce. The recipe is designed as a tangy, robust sauce to complement cold game—especially pheasant—a nod to the tradition of serving leftover roast game cold and dressed for breakfast or luncheon tables in country houses and officers' messes.

In its time, this sauce would have been prepared in a small earthenware or ceramic bowl, using a mustard spoon (a small, shallow spoon) for measuring. Chopping the shallot would be done with a small kitchen knife on a wooden board. The mixing could be done with a spoon, a small whisk, or simply the back of the spoon to mash and blend ingredients together. No heating or cooking is required; it is a simple, cold-assembled condiment.