Roast pigeon with prosciutto, sweetcorn, sage and onions

The days that I spend cooking for this blog are often hurried and frantic affairs. In the mornings I’m out and about gathering the required ingredients, before returning back home to turn them all into a finished (and hopefully successful) dish. In theory a fairly simple and straightforward plan. But often enough something goes amiss and the whole ordeal becomes much more stressful. Especially for something meant to be a hobby. And last week was a prime example. 

 
Things didn’t get off to the best of starts; I overslept. This wasn’t the greatest of problems really, and in truth Mondays are also my only real day of the week to get some rest. But it set me behind schedule, and my window for messing about in the kitchen was getting smaller and smaller. What I really wanted to buy was a grouse or two. Since the Glorious Twelfth, my social media feeds have been jam-packed with them, and I wanted to have another crack at cooking them. But could I find one? Could I heck. A few tubes and buses covering a London map of butchers later and I still had empty bags and even less cooking time. Stuck on Oxford Street amongst the crowds, things were looking pretty desperate. But then I remembered that there was a rather good branch of the Ginger Pig, not too far away in Marylebone, so I walked up to chance my luck one more time.
 
They also didn’t have any grouse. Bah! But what they did have were a couple of lovely, plump pigeons. At that stage of the day, I snapped them up. With the recipe cogs whirring around in my head, I darted next door to the mecca that is La Fromagerie for some bits to accompany the bird, and I was soon sat on the bus home with a bag laden with beautiful sweetcorn, cavolo nero and prosciutto. Soon the light would be fading, threatening rubbish photography and a wasted day, so I had to work quickly.
 
I wasn’t too disappointed to be lumped with pigeon instead of my desired grouse. I haven’t tackled a pigeon for a good few years, but they remain one of my favourite things to eat. I love that gamey richness and tender, pink flesh. And because the birds were whole, literally heads, claws and guts, it meant that I also had access to the wonderful offal. Whilst the trimmings and liver helped to make the sauce deep and flavourful, the heart was simply pan-roasted, adding another dimension to the finished dish. I never mess around with the cooking of smaller poultry, in my opinion roasting the crowns before carving is the only way to go.
 
The rest of the dish is a simple balance of early autumn flavours. The sweetcorn provides a wonderful sweetness that cuts through the powerful flavour of the pigeon. Sage and onion are practically married. I’ll still try and track down a grouse this season, but in the end I was pleased as punch with my pigeon.
 
Serves 2
 
Ingredients:
 
For the pigeon:
 
2 pigeons, portioned into crowns with wishbones removed. Trimmings, hearts and livers kept 
4 slices of prosciutto 
4 sprigs of thyme 
2 sage leaves 
1 knob of butter
 
For the sauce:
 
The wings, legs, livers and trimmings from the pigeons 
1 onion, finely chopped 
1 carrot, finely chopped 
2 garlic cloves, crushed 
2 slices of prosciutto, chopped 
5 sprigs of thyme 
1 generous splash of brandy 
750ml good chicken stock 
1 knob of butter
 
For the smashed sweetcorn:
 
The kernels from 2 sweetcorn cobs, released with a knife 
75g butter 
500ml water
 
For the charred sweetcorn:
 
The kernels from 1 sweetcorn cob, released with a knife 
1 small knob of butter
 
For the burnt onion:
 
1 small onion, skin left on and halved vertically 
½ a lemon, juice only
 
For the cavolo nero:
 
3-4 cavolo nero leaves, any tough stalks removed, leaves roughly chopped
 
For the pigeon hearts:
 
The hearts from the two pigeons, cleaned of any sinew

 
Get the pigeon sauce on first. Bring a large, heavy frying pan up to a medium-high temperature and add a good glug of olive oil. Season the pigeon legs, wings, trimmings and livers with salt and pepper and brown well on all sides, in batches if necessary. Add the prosciutto, onions, carrots, garlic and herbs to the pan and cook until lightly caramelised. Pour in the brandy and carefully flambé, then reduce until only a small amount remains. Top up with the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up and caramelised bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce slowly until only around 150ml of thickened sauce remains. Strain the sauce through a sieve into a smaller saucepan and discard the used flavourings. Whisk the knob of butter into the sauce until fully emulsified, then cover and set aside until needed later. 

 
Bring a frying pan up to a high heat and add a small amount of olive oil and a knob of butter. When hot, add the smaller amount of sweetcorn kernels and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until starting to brown and blacken. Tip into a bowl and set aside.
 
Pour the water for the smashed sweetcorn into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Tip in the sweetcorn kernels, butter and a good amount of seasoning. Stir to combine, then simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the sweetcorn has softened and taken on some of the liquid. Using a hand blender or food processor, blitz into a coarse, yet soft mash. Loosen with a little water if necessary, and taste for seasoning and butter. Cover and keep warm. 

 
Add a good glug of oil to a frying pan and set on a high heat. Place the onion halves cut-side down and fry for 5-6 minutes, until blackened and burnt. Turn over for an additional 5 minutes, then transfer to a side plate. When cool enough to handle, carefully separate the layers into little cups and place in a bowl. Squeeze in the lemon juice and season. Mix well and set aside.
 
Preheat the oven to 190⁰C.
 
Pour a generous glug of olive oil into a large, heavy frying pan and bring to a medium-high heat. When hot, add the sage leaves and fry for 30 seconds until crispy. Transfer to drain over a sheet of kitchen roll. Keep the pan hot for the pigeons.
 
Season the insides and outsides of the pigeons well with salt and pepper. Lay the sheets of prosciutto crisscrossed over the breasts, tucking some sprigs of thyme and a sage leaf underneath. Tie in place with some kitchen string. 

 
Add a large knob of butter to the sage pan and sear the pigeons for 1-1.5 minutes on each breast. Turn the crowns so that they are sitting upright in the pan, and use a spoon to baste well with the butter for a further minute. Transfer to an oven dish and roast for 10 minutes. Allow the cooked birds to rest for 10 minutes, then carve the breasts from the bone.
 
While the pigeons are resting, cook the pigeon hearts. Bring the same pan that was used to sear the pigeons back to a medium-high heat. Season the hearts, then cook for 1 minute on each side, basting well. Remove and allow to rest briefly, then slice in half.
 
In the same, now empty pan, add the cavolo nero leaves and a good splash of water. Wilt down quickly for a couple of minutes until tender.
 
Reheat the sauce and the smashed corn.
 
To plate up spoon a few dollops of the smashed corn onto each plate and add some of the cavolo nero. Arrange the pigeon breasts in the middle and three of the onion segments in the gaps at the sides. Top with the charred corn, heart, sage leaves and some of the prosciutto from the pigeon. Spoon some of the sauce into the onion cups and around the plate and serve.

Roasted pigeon with confit leg, Jerusalem artichoke puree, fondant potato and chanterelles

Talking about food with other food enthusiasts is always a real pleasure, and there is always something to be learned from finding out what they are cooking and eating. Last weekend I was back at Borough Market, this time accompanied by an old friend and very able cook who I hadn’t seen in a long time. It was brilliant to just walk round the various stalls looking eagerly at the masses of jaw dropping produce. We discussed how we would tackle the scallops the size of a fist, or rabbits still hanging in their skin, and my mind was buzzing with new ideas for the future.

The main reason for going back to the market was to pick up the ingredients for this recipe. I had been meaning to cook pigeon for ages, and somehow every time managed to make something else instead, but now the game season is back in flow it seemed like the perfect time. You can buy just about any ingredient you can think of at Borough, and in no time at all I had picked up a few fine pigeons. And at nine pounds for four birds, what a bargain they were. Although I was only cooking this recipe for two, I wanted the sauce to accompany the dish to be full of flavour and decided to use the carcass of one additional bird for an added boost. The remaining pigeon is sitting happily in my freezer until I fancy a quick pigeon salad or a game pie comes calling.

Borough is also one of the best places to buy decent mushrooms. Although I have excellent fruit and veg shops near to my home in north London, all anywhere seem to sell are the same old chestnut, button or portobello mushrooms, perhaps with a few shabby oysters or shitake thrown in. The main fruit and veg stall at Borough has a huge variety, and I had to stop myself from buying too many for other dishes that instantly popped into my head. I wanted some lovely chanterelles, and walked away happy with a bag full of the beautiful delicate golden yellow mushrooms. I had a day or so before I planned to cook this meal, and I just couldn’t wait to get cracking!

Pigeon is a bit of a marmite ingredient for many people. I think that it often conjures images of scabby London pigeons with gnarled feet pecking on rubbish, when game pigeons are the total opposite. They need to be tasted to be truly appreciated, with a strong iron flavour and wonderfully tender meat. They need to be cooked rare or slowly braised though, anything in between will be like chewing cardboard. Now that autumn is upon us, the flavour of pigeon combined with root veg, salty ham and peas is so comforting. 

This recipe is long and cooking it will take a little while but it really is worth it. The finished meal is great to look at and full of flavour. The confit legs and use of an additional carcass is optional, but will make the end result that little bit better if you have the time. The most stressful time when cooking this meal is at the end, when you have loads of pans cooking simultaneously. The key is to just remember that most things are being cooked gently, and will not be ruined if ignored for a few seconds. After a bit of practice it is easy. 

Ingredients:

Serves 2

2 pigeons, crowns separated, legs kept for confit and rest of carcass kept for the sauce

Optional: 1 additional pigeon carcass

For the sauce:

1 large shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, left whole but crushed slightly

10 sprigs of thyme

1 bay leaf

50ml brandy

500ml good chicken stock

1 knob of butter

4 tbsp frozen peas, defrosted

Salt and pepper

For the pigeon leg confit:

2 pigeon legs

800ml duck or goose fat, or enough to cover everything well

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

5 sprigs thyme

For the Jerusalem artichoke puree:

500g jerusalem artichokes, peeled and chopped into 1in pieces

3 tbsp double cream

2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, stalks discarded

Salt and pepper

For the fondant potatoes:

2 large king edward potatoes 

10 sprigs thyme

200ml chicken stock

1 knob of butter

For the chanterelles:

2 slices parma ham

200g chanterelle mushrooms, brushed clean

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

1/2 a shallot, finely chopped

3 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 large knob of butter

Salt and pepper

For the savoy cabbage:

3 large savoy cabbage leaves, finely shredded

1/2 a shallot, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 anchovy fillet, finely shopped

1 large knob of butter

50ml chicken stock

Salt and pepper

Firstly make the confit pigeon legs. Tie the legs with string to keep the flesh together while they cook. Melt the duck fat in a small saucepan with the thyme and garlic, then add the legs, topping up with more fat if they are not submerged. Heat up to 90ºC and keep at a constant temperature for 2 hours. Keep submerged in the fat and allow to cool. This process can be done a couple of days in advance.

To make the sauce to go with the dish, heat up a little oil in a large frying pan or skillet until hot. Sear the parts of the pigeon carcass that have been removed from the crown, along with the additional pigeon carcass if using, until they are a dark brown colour. Turn the heat down to a medium heat and add the shallot, garlic, thyme and bay leaf, and cook for another couple of minutes until well coloured. Pour in the brandy and set alight to burn away the alcohol. Once the flames have gone out, reduce slightly then pour in the hot chicken stock. Season, combine, and allow to reduce right down until only about 150ml of liquid is left. Strain and set aside to finish off while the pigeon is cooking. 

For the puree, put the pieces of jerusalem artichoke into a small saucepan and cover with salted water. Bring to the boil and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes. When cooked, drain and tip into a food processor with the cream, thyme and seasoning. Blitz until smooth before tasting and adjusting. Put back into the saucepan and cover with cling film until needed.

To make the parma ham baskets, preheat the oven to 200ºC. Line the bottom of two slots of a muffin tray with discs of greaseproof paper. Arrange the parma ham around the bottom and sides of the tray to form a cup shape. Put another disc of greaseproof paper at the bottom of the ham cup and stack another muffin tray on top of the one with the ham. This will make the cups keep their shape. Put in the hot oven for 8 minutes, before removing the top muffin tray and top piece of greaseproof paper. Put the uncovered tray back in the oven for another 2-3 minutes, or until the ham is crisp. Allow to cool in the trays and set aside. 

Turn the oven down to 180ºC

For the fondant potatoes, peel the potatoes and cut the edges so that you are left with a thick cross-section. Using a pastry cutter, push through the potatoes to create 2 cylinders. Put a non-stick frying pan onto a high heat and add 2 tbsp of the fat from the confit saucepan. When hot, add a knob of butter and the thyme, and fry the potatoes on each flat side until they are nicely browned and crispy. Place the potatoes into a small, high sided oven dish and add the cooking liquid and thyme. Season well. Top up with hot stock until half way up the potatoes. Put into the oven for 25 minutes, or until a knife is easily inserted into the side. Try and time the cooking of the potatoes to go with the cooking of the pigeon (including the resting time).

To cook the pigeon, heat a frying pan to a high heat with a little olive oil. When hot, sear the pigeon crowns for about a minute on each breast or until they are browned. Transfer to an oven dish, add the confit legs and put into the oven for 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for another five minutes before carving the breasts. 

While the pigeon is cooking, cook the savoy cabbage. Melt the butter in a frying pan on a medium heat and add the shallot, garlic and anchovy. Cook for about 2 minutes until softened, then add the savoy cabbage and the chicken stock. Stir to combine and cook for another 2 minutes, or until al dente. Taste and season.

At the same time, cook the mushrooms. Add the butter to the frying pan used to sear the pigeon and melt on a medium heat. Add the garlic and shallot and cook for a minute or so to to soften. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until buttery and tender, another couple of minutes. Taste and season. 

Also at the same time, slowly heat up the artichoke puree and finish the pigeon sauce. Gently heat up the sauce in a small saucepan, and when warm add the butter and stir well, until melted and combined. Taste, season and add more butter if needed. Add the peas two minutes before serving and stir occasionally.

A couple of minutes before serving, put the muffin tray with the parma ham cups back into the oven to heat back up. Be careful not to leave them in there for too long. 

To plate up, place the fondant potato on the plate, and put the confit leg on top. Place the ham cup next to the potato, and fill with the chanterelles. Spoon a good amount of the puree onto the plate next to them, and top with some of the savoy cabbage. Arrange the pigeon breasts on top of this. Spoon a little sauce carefully onto the pigeon/puree/cabbage, and then drizzle around the plate. Serve with a nice glass of red wine.