Vinegar Glazed Pigeon Breast On A Crisp Potato Cake

  • Difficulty medium
  • Serves 4
raw pigeon breasts

Ingredients

  • 6 crowns of pigeon
  • 50g (2oz) butter
  • 1tbsp oil
  • pinch of mace
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 150ml (¼ pt) chicken stock or pigeon stock
  • 25g (1oz) butter
  • 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp chervil, chopped
  • 110g (4oz) clarified butter
  • 450g (1lb) potatoes, peeled
  • 50g (2oz) butter
  • 225g (8oz) peas – cooked (or frozen blanched)
  • 8 spring onions

Method for pigeon

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
  2. Season the crowns, then rub with butter and mace and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
  3. Heat a frying pan until hot, add the oil and sear the breasts on each side.
  4. Place in the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
  6. Pour out the excess fat from the roasting pan, then add the shallots and sweat for 2 minutes.
  7. Add the vinegars, bring to the boil and reduce by half.
  8. Add the stock and reduce by 1/3.
  9. Add the butter and season.
  10. Slice the pigeon off of the bone.
  11. Strain the sauce into a clean pan, and use half to baste the pigeon.
  12. Add the parsley and chervil to the rest of sauce

Method for potatoes

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
  2. Cut the potatoes into 3cm/1¼" cylinders and slice very thinly.
  3. Mix with the clarified butter and season with salt and black pepper.
  4. Heat a 15cm/6" diameter frying pan and lay the potato slices overlapping into the base of the pan.
  5. Repeat for around 3 layers, then cook until the potato slices are coloured.
  6. Place in the oven for 10 minutes.

Method for peas

  1. Heat a pan of water until boiling then add the spring onions and blanch for 1 minute.
  2. Drain and refresh.
  3. Heat a frying pan until just warm and add the butter, peas and spring onions.
  4. Cook for 2 minutes on a gentle heat.

To serve

  1. Turn potato cake onto the centre of the serving plate.
  2. Place the peas in the centre of potato.
  3. Place 3 pigeon breasts on top of the spring onions/peas.
  4. Pour the sauce over and serve.