I’m using pigeon here as my good friend Rupert from Gledpark dropped me one into the cookery school that had just been shot. It doesn’t get fresher than that. He also has some of the best venison around!

Provenance is such an important feature of our food, if you know where it comes from and you trust the source the chances are it will be far superior in quality and taste so much better.

Please feel free to substitute any game bird that you have available. The lentils work really well with duck or goose and especially with the legs!

This dish is a lovely simple one but it does rely on not over cooking the pigeon! As there is almost no fat on a pigeon breast, if you over cook it, it will dry out and become really tough. This works well with any game bird, just adjust the cooking to the size.

Don’t forget to have a look at the YouTube video to go with this recipe.

Ingredients

Per person as a light dish…

2 wood pigeon breasts brought to room temperature before cooking.

100g puy lentils (washed)

750ml of vegetable stock (I always have some frozen)

1 small carrot - chopped

1 small onion - chopped

1 celery stick - chopped

Mixed fresh herbs. Chopped. I used chives, rosemary and thyme.

Herbed butter for finishing (or use regular if you don’t have any)

Oil for frying

Salt

Utensils

A heavy based saucepan for the lentils

A frying pan for the pigeon

Tongs

Chopping knife

Chopping board

Spatula

Bowl for resting the pigeon breasts

Method

If your stock is frozen defrost in a microwave or saucepan.
Heat a good glug of oil in your saucepan over a medium heat and add in your chopped onion, carrot and celery. Give it a good stir and allow to really soften and take on some colour. Nice and low and slow! About 10 - 15 minutes.
Now add in your washed lentils and give them a good stir. Add in your stock to cover the lentils. Bring them to a simmer and gently cook uncovered until tender.
When the stock has evaporated and the lentils are cooked, season with salt to bring out the depth of flavour. They will sit quite happily now in the warm pan until you have cooked your pigeon.
Heat a glug of oil in your frying pan over a medium heat.
Place your pigeon in presentation side down. Don’t fuss and keep turning! Allow a nice crust to develop, this means flavour! Watch the sides of the breast and take note of the ‘cook line’ or where the raw meat is becoming cooked.
Allow the cook line to come around two thirds of the way up and then turn once. Thrown in your butter and baste. Enjoy the aromas and sizzle!
To test if it’s ready, gently press down with your fingers onto the breast. It should be nice and soft. If you waited the correct amount of time before turning you can’t go too wrong.
Remove from the pan and place into a waiting dish to rest. I like to use a small bowl upturned onto a large bowl with the meat resting against the small bowl. That way the breasts don’t sit in their own juice as they are resting.
Allow the pigeon to rest at least 5 minutes.
Mix your chopped fresh herbs through the lentils and then spoon onto your plate.
Place the pigeon on top of the lentils with any herbs you have left. Spoon over any pan juices and serve!

Enjoy

Herbs from Mutehill Nursery in Kirkcudbright

To try some of the amazing Gledpark venison visit www.gledpark.co.uk