This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Off now to make Husband Pigeon & Hedgerow Salad (411 calories rather surprisingly as there is barely anything to it) using the breasts from a pidge that a friend’s son shot in our garden yesterday (usually an excellent shot, this particular time was a bit of a duvet – took ages to clear up feathers from lawn). Picked a few plump blackberries from the bushes in the field next door, some salad leaves and chives from the stuff growing in pots by our back door and a mustard-based dressing.
PIGEON & HEDGEROW SALAD
Ingredients serves 2
2 pigeon breasts, skin removed
2 tbsp olive oil
For the dressing
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 bunch chives, half snipped, half finely chopped
For the salad
handful shelled hazelnuts, roughly chopped
2 large handfuls mixed salad leaves
small handful parsley leaves
100g blackberries
To make/serve
Toss the pigeon in the olive oil and some cracked black pepper, then set aside until ready to cook. Make the dressing by mixing the oil, mustard and vinegar with the finely chopped chives, a tiny splash of water and some seasoning. Set aside.
Heat a frying pan, dry-fry the hazelnuts, then set aside. Place the pan back on the heat, then pan-fry the pigeon breasts for 2-3 mins on each side until plump. Leave to rest for 5 mins.
When the pigeon has rested, remove to a chopping board. Toss the salad ingredients together in a bowl with the snipped chives and a drizzle of dressing, then pile in the centre of 2 plates. Finely slice the pigeon breasts and arrange around the salads. Spoon over the rest of the dressing and serve.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, September 2009