A Boxing Day feast of pheasant curry and spiced fruit salad from Highclere Castle

‘Every year we do a Boxing Day shoot,’ says Lady Carnarvon. ‘Among our gamekeepers, Eddie has been with us for 60 years and Terry for 58. It’s extraordinary; we have around 150 people for whom Highclere is the centre of their lives, from Pat our decorator and beekeeper, to Dave our electrician, who has one of my Labrador puppies. We’re joined on the shoot by people who live locally and it’s a wonderfully relaxed day. I like to put on my pheasant curry – everyone loves the extras, such as chutney, yogurt and flatbreads, served in bowls on the table alongside the fragrant curry and rice.’

Pheasant curry

SERVES

INGREDIENTS

65g unsalted butter
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large red onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp plain flour
1 large sweet potato (around 400g), peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
500ml...