Agnar Sverrisson combines a variety of interesting tastes and textures in this striking pigeon recipe. To make the pigeon, the chef first cooks the legs and breasts in a water bath before searing them with a blowtorch.
Begin by making the bacon popcorn. Dice the bacon into small pieces and heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the bacon until crispy then drain well, reserving the fat. Chop the bacon into a very fine crumb and dry in a dehydrator overnight at 60°C
Remove the legs from the pigeons and cut out the thigh bones. Set aside the breasts. Season the legs with a little salt, wrap tightly in cling film and place in a vacuum bag. Seal in a chamber sealer and cook in the water bath for 2 hours
To make the corn purée, remove the corn from the cob and place the kernels and cobs in a vacuum bag with the lemon, olive oil and salt. Cook for 1 hour in a pan of simmering water
Meanwhile, prepare the sweetcorn kernels. Place the corn in a vacuum bag with the olive oil and seal in a chamber sealer. Place the bag in a pan of simmering water and cook for 45 minutes. Shave the corn kernels off the cob with a sharp knife and season with salt. Set aside until ready to serve
To finish the corn purée, remove the corn from the bag and discard the cob. Transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth, adding a little water if necessary. Set aside until ready to serve
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To make the red onion petals, first make a red wine reduction. Place the wine, salt, sugar and vinegar in a saucepan and reduce to a light syrup. Stir in the xanthan gum and set aside
Cut the onion into segments, leaving the root intact, and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Refresh in iced water. Separate the onion into layers, place in the red wine reduction and keep warm until ready to serve
1 red onion
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Preheat a water bath to 62°C
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Carve the pigeon breasts from the crown and season with salt. Transfer to a vacuum bag, seal in a chamber sealer and cook in the water bath for 12 minutes
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When ready to serve, remove the pigeon breasts and legs from their vacuum bags and sear with a blowtorch
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To serve, swirl the sweetcorn purée around the plate and spoon some sweetcorn kernels on top. Place 3 red onion petals next to the sweetcorn and drizzle over a little of the red wine reduction
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Add a pigeon breast and leg to each plate, sprinkle over some bacon crumb and garnish with the popcorn and turnip seedlings
Icelandic chef Agnar Sverrisson has been raising a maelstrom at his restaurant, Texture, since 2007. Named by The Independent New Restaurant of the Year in 2007, Texture has since accumulated a Michelin star, three AA rosettes, a Catey and a Remy Martin Award.
