ROAST WOOD PIGEON w/WHITE TRUFFLE OIL

By BobD

Ingredients

• For the perfume of ceps:
• 4 x225g/8oz wood pigeons
• salt and white pepper, freshly ground
• vegetable oil
• 2 pigeon carcasses
• 100 g/4oz chicken wings
• 1 carrot, diced
• celeriac skin, thoroughly washed and diced
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1.2 litre/2 pint chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 2 egg, whites only
• 25 g/1oz dried ceps
• To serve:
• 2 carrots
• 1 small celeriac, peeled (use washed skin in the perfume of ceps)
• 50 g/2oz fresh green beans
• 2 baby leeks
• 25 ml/1fl oz truffle oil

Preparation

Step 1

Method
1. Remove the legs, wings, wishbones and undercarriages from the pigeons. You are left with a double breast on the ribcage.

2. To make the perfume of ceps - a consommi - chop the chicken wings, pigeon carcasses and trimmings, and in a thick-bottomed pan in a little vegetable oil, sauté them until golden brown. Add the diced vegetables and colour these as well. Add the chicken stock and herbs, and bring to the boil. Skim and lightly season, then simmer for 20 minutes, skimming regularly and allowing to reduce slightly. Pass the liquid through a muslin cloth and leave to cool.

3. Blitz the egg whites and dried ceps in a blender until the egg is frothy and the ceps are ground down. Place into a thick-bottomed pan with a little ice and slowly whisk in the cold stock. Place on to the stove, being to the boil and gently whisk regularly. As it comes to the boil, whisk it well and allow to settle and form a crust. Do not boil from this point on, but simmer gently.

4. Season lightly with salt and pepper and allow the stock to reduce to approximately 570ml/1 pint. Pass through a muslin cloth. It should be perfectly clear and intensely flavoured.

5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

6. Season the wood pigeons and pan-fry in a little oil to colour nicely on both breasts, then place in the preheated oven and roast for about 12 minutes. Remove the pigeons from the oven and rest for 4-5 minutes.

7. Meanwhile prepare the garnish vegetables. Cut the carrots and celeriac into batons, and top and tail the green beans. Remove the root from the baby leeks, and cut down to about 5cm/2in length. Blanch the vegetables in boiling salted water and refresh in cold water.

8. To serve, heat the perfume of ceps up, then add the garnish vegetables. Spoon into a soup plate, spreading the stock and vegetables evenly. Remove the pigeon breasts from the bone and place on top of the vegetables. Drip a little truffle oil over the meat and stock.