Sautéed Pigeon Breasts with Red Wine Butter Sauce & Chorizo Mash

Whisk the egg white and cornflour or arrowroot together well in a shallow dish. Add the 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt, then whisk again. Add the whole pigeon breasts and mix well to coat. Cover the dish with clingfilm and chill for 20 minutes

Peel and cut the potatoes into regular pieces. Put the potatoes in a saucepan of water and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 12-15 minutes until they are cooked through. Drain well and leave in a colander to steam dry for 5 minutes. Add the butter or olive oil and mash well or push through a ricer. Whisk in enough hot milk to get a soft but not runny mash, it should not be too creamy. Keep warm. Heat a non-stick frying pan, add the chorizo and cook until the fat runs. Then add to the mash and stir in. Keep covered and warm‚ it will look great.

Put the vinegar, red wine, shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper into a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then cook down until you have 2-3 tablespoons left. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cold butter, whisking all the time. The sauce will thicken naturally; do not boil. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Keep covered and warm.

Heat a large frying pan and add the & tablespoons olive oil. Carefully lift the pigeon breasts out of the bowl and remove most of the starch and egg white coating. Saute in the hot oil for 2 minutes, then turn over for a further minute or two. Transfer the pigeon to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. Do not overcook the pigeon needs to be nice and pink still when sliced. When ready to serve, slice the breasts on a long angle. For each serving, place a large spoon of mash in the centre of a warm deep bowl. Top with three sliced pigeon breasts and a good spoonful of sauce.