Cured Pigeon by Chris Horridge
Wild pigeon appears on the menu less and less these days particularly as it can have a strong flavour which is becoming less appealing to the modern palate. Curing the breast tempers the strong aroma making it more palatable and subtler.
To complement the pigeon breast, we serve it with a fruit puree and wild herbs. It can equally be served with more traditional accompaniments to cured meats.
Ingredients
6 – 8 Pigeon breasts boneless, skin off, (1 breast per starter portion)
50g Coarse sea salt
50g Sugar
1 x 6” sprigs of savory or thyme
3 Bay leaves
5 Cloves
9g Garlic cloves
6 Black pepper corns
1 Orange zest
1 Lemon zest
250ml Red wine
10 Juniper berries
Preparation
- Crush all spices and herbs before using
- Add the salt and sugar to the wine and bring to the boil
- Remove from stove and add the other ingredients.
- When temperature is cool place pigeon in marinade cover and chill
- Turn every 12 hours leaving for a total of 48 hours
- When the meat is sufficiently cured it should be fairly firm to the touch
- If it still feels tender then continue to marinade for further 12 hours
- Wipe off the excess marinade wrap in cling film and freeze until solid
- Unwrap and using a very sharp knife slice as thin as you can or use a meat slicer (Be very careful – see below)
- As you slice lay the meat on a plate, this is important otherwise on defrosting (which is almost instant) the meat will clump together, being almost impossible to separate
- We slice the pigeon breast lengthways which allows us to roll it up around some wild herbs
Chef’s Tips
Please note that cutting frozen meat with a sharp knife is difficult and the knife may sometimes slip if you are not very careful. Obtaining a meat slicer is a safer option; household editions are now reasonably priced.
