Coating the pigeon breasts in egg white and starch makes the meat tender and succulent. The soft cooking chorizo turns the mash into a meal in itself and works well with the pigeon. Red wine butter sauce is slightly over the top but does add another taste profile.
Ingredients
- 12 pigeon breasts, boned, skinned and secondary skin and sinew removed
- ½ medium egg white
- 2 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus another 6 tablespoons for cooking the pigeon
- pinch salt
For the Mash
- 500 g potatoes, such as Marfona, White King Edward or Wilja
- 50 g butter or olive oil
- 100 ml hot milk
- 2 small soft cooking chorizo, about 200g total weight, skinned and cut into 5mm cubes
For the Sauce
- 3 tbsp red wine or balsamic vinegar
- 150 ml full-bodied red wine, (1 small glass)
- 1 shallots, very finely chopped
- 100 g ice-cold butter, diced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
PIGEON
- 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
MASH
- 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.
SAUCE
- 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.
TO FINISH
- 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.
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Notes
Nutrition Facts
Sautéed Pigeon Breasts with Red Wine Butter Sauce & Chorizo Mash
Amount per Serving
Calories
937
% Daily Value*
Fat
65
g
100
%
Sodium
955
mg
42
%
Carbohydrates
30
g
10
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
3.3
g
4
%
Protein
43
g
86
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
