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Roast Pigeon, Roast Vegetables, Savoury Lentils and Pigeon Burger

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Ingredients

  • 8 oven-ready wood pigeons
  • Pigeon Burger
  • 16 reserved wood pigeon leg meat (see below)
  • 225g pork sausages, skins removed
  • 4 rindless streaky bacon rashers, chopped
  • 2 shallots
  • 1 large garlic clove, chopped
  • 2 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Gravy
  • 8 reserved pigeon carcasses
  • 2 tbsp light olive oil
  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 leek, chopped
  • 2 celery sticks, chopped
  • 1 large fresh thyme sprig
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Roast Vegetables
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 450g mixed coloured carrots, cut into chunks (Comber)
  • 225g parsnips, cut into chunks
  • Savoury Lentils
  • 225g puy lentils
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 large thyme sprig
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 100g streaky bacon lardons
  • 150ml red wine
  • 50ml port
  • 100ml reserved pigeon stock (see below)
  • Potatoes
  • 675g floury potatoes, halved if large (Comber)
  • Large knob of butter
  • 2 tbsp finely snipped fresh chives
  • Pigeon Breasts
  • 16 reserved pigeon breasts (see below)
  • 2 tbsp light olive oil
  • 25g unsalted butter
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  • Pigeon Burger
  • Remove the breasts from the pigeons and set aside until needed. To make the pigeon burgers, take the meat off the legs and roughly chop. Place in a food processor with the sausage meat, bacon, shallots, garlic and parsley.
  • Blend until the mixture just comes together but still has texture. Season with salt and pepper and shape into eight patties. Place on a small tray, then cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
  • Gravy
  • To make the gravy, chop up the pigeon carcasses and rinse under cold running water. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the vegetables for 3-4 minutes until just beginning to soften around the edges and catch a bit of colour.
  • Place them in a large pan with the chopped up carcasses and the herbs and just cover with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for an hour until you have achieved a well-flavoured stock. Strain through a sieve into a clean jug. Set aside until needed.
  • Roast Vegetables
  • Preheat the oven to 200C (400F), Gas mark 6. To make the roasted vegetables, heat the oil in a large roasting tin. Tip in the mixed carrots and parsnips, then toss until well coated in the oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through and just beginning to catch around the edges. Keep warm.
  • Savoury Lentils
  • To make the savoury lentils, rinse the lentils under cold running water and place in a pan with the garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until just tender but still with a little bite. Drain well, discarding the garlic and herbs.
  • Potatoes
  • Put the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water and cook until tender. Drain and then toss in the butter and chives. Season with salt and keep warm.
  • Savoury Lentils
  • Meanwhile, finish the savoury lentils. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the vegetables and bacon, then sauté for 8-10 minutes until tender but the vegetables are not coloured and the bacon has begun to crisp up.
  • In a separate pan, reduce the wine and port until you have just a couple of tablespoons of liquid left. Tip in the cooked lentils and add 100ml of the reserved pigeon stock and the reduced down red wine and port.
  • Season to taste and simmer for a few minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. Keep warm.
  • Pigeon Breasts
  • Meanwhile, cook the pigeon breasts. Heat the oil in two large frying pans. Season the pigeon breasts. Add the butter to the pans and as soon as it stops sizzling, put in the seasoned pigeon breasts, presentation side down and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until medium rare.
  • Remove from the heat and allow to rest in a warm place for about 5 minutes. Reheat the reserved gravy in a pan, stirring occasionally. Serve To serve, arrange the rested pigeon breasts on the warmed serving plates with the pigeon burgers. Put the roasted mixed carrots around the edges of each plate and drizzle over the pigeon gravy. Put the potatoes in a separate warm serving dish straight on the table.