Pigeon and mushroom pie with watercress purée

Preparation time
less than 30 mins

Cooking time
1 to 2 hours

Serves
Serves 4

By Matt Tebbutt

Ingredients

For the pigeon legs

  • 250ml/9fl oz chicken stock
  • 4 pigeon legs
  • 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 2 thyme sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 celery stick

For the pie

  • 4 wood pigeon breasts
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 banana shallot, peeled and diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
  • 6 porcini mushrooms, diced
  • 125ml/4fl oz Madeira
  • 250ml/9fl oz chicken stock
  • 2 chicken or pigeon livers, chopped
  • 500g/1lb 2oz puff pastry
  • 2 large field mushrooms, halved
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
  • 4 blanched and refreshed large Savoy cabbage leaves, the rest of the cabbage reserved
  • 1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the watercress purée

  • 75g/2½oz unsalted butter
  • 50ml/2fl oz–100ml/3½fl oz double cream
  • handful watercress leaves, plus extra sprigs to garnish
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