Wood pigeon salad

4:14pm Friday 12th September 2008

I WOULD like to bet that the vast majority of people reading this column have never served wood pigeon at home. But why not?

First of all, it's very good value.

Also, judging by the number of the things flying around my house, it's readily available. But, as with most good foods, it's very tasty and ridiculously easy to prepare and cook.

Pigeon breasts are available pre-packed in supermarkets but if you have a good butcher, it's worth asking for whole pigeons with the breasts removed for you first. This way you can make your own stock.

You will need a carrot, an onion, a couple of sticks of celery and 100ml red wine. But if you can't make it, just make sure you use a good quality readymade stock.

This recipe makes for an easy salad, ideal as a starter or light summer dish and serves two.

Two pigeon breasts
Two slices of Parma ham
Twelve red seedless grapes - halved
A couple of handfuls of curly endive
Extra virgin olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Method

The dressing is made using a little stock. So if you're making your own, place the pigeon bones in a saucepan, add the red wine, a chopped onion, two sticks of chopped celery, a carrot and 200ml of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain and return to the heat to reduce the liquor by two thirds. Allow to cool.

To make the dressing, combine two parts olive oil with one part red wine vinegar, one part stock and a little salt and pepper. Either whisk together or shake in a screw-top jar.

Heat the oven to 100C and bake the slices of Parma ham on a metal rack until crisp and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, heat a frying pan, add a little oil and fry the pigeon breasts for a couple of minutes each side. They need to be reasonably rare, still with a spring to the meat when you press it. Add a little salt and pepper, remove from the pan and allow to cool.

Place the halved grapes and endive in a bowl and mix together with a little dressing to taste. Pile onto a couple of plates. Slice the pigeon and place on top along with the crisped Parma ham.

Spoon around a little more of the dressing to finish.

● Oldfields Restaurants cookbook, Passion for Real Food, is out now and available in good bookshops.

For discounted copies, contact the restaurant in Claypath, Durham, on 0191-370-9595 or go to www.oldfieldsrestaurants.

com.

Eating Out