Whether you have shot it yourself or acquired a ‘kit of pigeons’ from the hands of a friend, you will want to cook your trophy bird well! Here is a wonderfully warming recipe with a hint of the season to come from Head Chef Matthew Tomkinson of the newly refurbished The Terrace at The Montagu Arms.
Warm Salad of Alresford Wood Pigeon with Caramelised Walnuts & Beetroot
Ingredients
- 4 pigeon crowns
- 100g of mirepoix
- 30g of butter
- 1 tbsp of honey
- 175 ml of red wine, fruity
- 500ml of dark Chicken stock
- 8 pigeon legs, roasted
- Candied walnuts recipe
- 20 walnut halves
- 100g of sugar
- 100ml of water
- Pickled mushrooms recipe
- 100g of Hon Shimegi mushrooms
- 50g of caster sugar
- 42ml of white wine vinegar
- 42ml of water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig of thyme
- Beetroot compote recipe
- 2 large beetroots
- 1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
- 30g of butter
- 1 English apple, peeled & cored
- 20g of capers
- 250 ml of red wine
- 2 tbsp of redcurrant jelly
- To plate
- 1 handful of watercress
Method
1.To make the candied walnuts, dissolve sugar in an equal amount of water and pour over the nuts. Bring the mixture to the boil and cook until it reaches 140°C. Drain quickly and then deep-fry the nuts in oil at 180°C until golden and crispy. Drain and allow to cool
2. For the pickled mushrooms, bring the water and vinegar to the boil. Add the sugar to taste and then add the mushrooms, bay leaf and thyme. Remove from the heat and chill. Girolles can be used as an alternative to the Hon Shimeji mushrooms if they are unavailable
3. For the beetroot compote, heat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 3. Wrap the beetroots in foil, and then bake the sealed foil parcels for 40 minutes until they are just tender. When cool, peel and coarsely grate
4. In a small pan, sweat the onion in the butter then add the beetroot and the grated apple, followed by the capers. Once most of the liquid has evaporated, add the wine and jelly and cook until thick and glossy
5. For the pigeon, first preheat the oven to 240°C/Gas mark 9. Then prepare the sauce. Sweat the mirepoix (chopped onion, celery and carrot) in the butter for five minutes, add honey and allow to caramelise before adding the wine and reducing by half
6. Roast the pigeon legs at 180c for 15 minutes until golden brown
7.Add the stock and the golden brown legs and simmer for an hour. Pass through a sieve and reserve.
8. Brown the crowns in a hot pan using olive oil and place in the oven for six minutes. Allow to rest and carve the breasts off
9. To serve, scatter the walnuts and mushrooms around the plate and place drops of beetroot compote in and around. Lay the breasts over the garnish and top with dressed watercress leaves and a few spoons of the sauce
The Chef – Brandon Miller
