| previous | next |
Title: Pigeon in Red Wine Sauce
Categories: French Game Main
Yield: 4 Servings
| 4 | Pigeons (squab) - (about 1 lb. each) | |
| 4 | c | Chicken stock |
| 4 | c | Red Burgundy wine |
| 1 | Onion; chopped | |
| 1 | Bay leaf | |
| 1 | Sprig fresh thyme | |
| 3 | Sprigs fresh Italian parsley | |
| 1 | Sprig fresh curly parsley | |
| 1 | sm | Sprig fresh rosemary |
| 6 | To 8 garlic cloves | |
| 1 | ts | Coriander seeds |
| 3 | Scallions; chopped - both white & green parts | |
| Black pepper; to taste | ||
| 6 | tb | Unsalted butter (3/4 stick) |
| 4 | c | Mixed greens and herbs |
Wash and dry the pigeons; with a pair of kitchen shears, clip the wing tips and the ends of the legs from each bird. Cut the leg and thigh joints, wings, and breast meat from the carcasses and set aside. Reserve the carcasses for the sauce.
In a large nonaluminum saucepan, combine the carcasses, stock, wine, onion, herbs, garlic and scallions over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour to allow the sauce to absorb all the flavors. If it seems to be reducing too quickly, add a little water. After 1 hour, increase heat and boil hard until the sauce is reduced by half; strain, season with pepper and set aside.
In a large skillet, melt three tb. of the butter over medium-high heat. Saute the legs and wings, turning until they are golden on all sides, about 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the strained sauce over the pigeon, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the pigeon pieces are tender when pricked with a fork, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the pigeon and stir 2 tb. of butter into the sauce.
A few minutes before serving, saute the boned breasts in the remaining 3 tb. of butter for 2 minutes on each side; they will be rare.
Mound the mixed greens and herbs on each plate and top with a pigeon piece that has been cooked in the sauce. Slice the breast and serve, passing the sauce separately.
Note: To make this sauteed pigeon into a feast, Aude serves it with peeled, roasted and sliced figs and slices of sauteed fresh foie gras.
From Aude Clement of Lac d'Enghien, France in "Cooking with Herbs" by Emelie Tolley and Chris Mead. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., 1989. Pg. 233. Posted by Cathy Harned.
| previous | next |