Wood pigeon with cobnuts
Alan Murchison uses cobnuts as a garnish in this glorious wood pigeon recipe. Cobnuts are a variety of hazelnuts and can be found growing naturally around the UK, particularly in Kent. When fresh, cobnuts have a distinctive coconut flavour, which becomes sweeter and juicier as the nut matures.
Ingredients
Wood pigeon breast
- 4 wood pigeon breasts
- 30g of butter
- salt to season
Carrot purée
- 50g of shallots , finely sliced
- 300g of carrots , finely sliced
- 200ml of carrot juice
- 20g of butter
- 100ml of water
- 5 sprigs of fresh thyme , de-stemmed
Bok choi
Garnish
- 4 baby carrots , finely sliced
- 3 tbsp of cobnuts , crushed
Equipment
- Blender
- Fine chinoise
Method
1
For the carrot purée, melt the butter in a saucepan on a low-medium heat. Add the shallots and sweat until translucent. Add the carrot and cook for a further 4 minutes. Add the carrot juice, thyme and water and simmer until the carrots are soft
- 50g of shallots
- 300g of carrots
- 200ml of carrot juice
- 20g of butter
- 100ml of water
- 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
- salt to season
2
Strain the liquid and blend the remaining contents. Add the reserve liquid slowly until a thick, smooth purée is formed. Season to taste and pass though a fine chinois. Set aside in a small saucepan
3
Prepare the bok choi by cutting in half length-ways and washing thoroughly. Blanch in salted boiling water for one minute and refresh. Set aside on absorbent towel for later use
- 4 bok choi
4
For the wood pigeon breast, place a large frying pan on a medium to high heat. Season both sides with salt. Add the butter to the pan, as soon as it begins to foam place in the breasts, skin side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until golden, turn and cook for a further 4 minutes, remove from the pan to rest and reserve the juices in the pan for later
- 4 wood pigeon breasts
- 30g of butter
- salt to season
6
To plate, pour the warmed through carrot purée onto each plate. Place the bok choi in the middle of each plate, slice each breast into three and arrange over the bok choi. Finish by sprinkling each plate with the cobnuts, baby carrots and juices from the pan
- 4 baby carrots
- 3 tbsp of cobnuts
Discover more:
Go to Comments
Wood pigeon with cobnuts
