Preheat the oven to 200 C, 180 Fan, Gas 6. Rub 15g of the butter over the breast of each partridge. Season with salt and pepper then place in a roasting tin.
Heat the oil over a high heat and fry the shallot halves until they are thoroughly browned all over and beginning to soften . Set aside. Score a thin line around the girth of each pear through the skin only.
Mix the currants with the jelly, the remaining butter and a sprinkling of nutmeg and pepper then stuff into the pears. Stand the pears in a dish and pour the perry or cider around them . Tuck in the shallots and juniper berries.
Cover with a dome of foil and roast the pears in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and increase the heat to 240 C, 220 Fan, Gas 9.
Add the partridges to the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, basting frequently with their juices and a spoonful or two from the pears. Check the pears occasionally to make sure they don’t overcook.
Serve the partridges surrounded by the pears and shallots. Strain the juices from both dishes and mix to serve as a thin gravy, seasoning with salt and pepper.