Smoky Pigeon Breast Salad with Pickled Beetroot

Saturday morning recipes with Simon Mayo & Nigel Barden

Author: David MayPublished 11th May 2019
Last updated 11th May 2019

Every week on Simon Mayo's Saturday show, we're joined by food and wine expert, Nigel Barden, who talks us through incredible recipes and the wines that go with them. As well as satisfying your taste buds, we also satisfy your ears with a classical track that compliments the food perfectly.

On Saturday 11th May we made Smoky Pigeon Breast Salad with Pickled Beetroot.

The full recipe is below:

Smoky Pigeon Breast Salad with Pickled Beetroot

By Nigel Barden from Jose Souto’s ‘Feathers – The Game Larder’ (Merlin Unwin Books) photography Steve Lee

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 mins (+ 2-8hrs marinating)

Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients

6–8 fresh pigeon breasts (depending on size)

4 tbsp peaty, smoky whisky (Laphroaig, Lagavulin or Talisker,

otherwise a blend like Famous Grouse or Bell’s will suffice)

1–2 Lapsang Souchong teabags (or 3 tsp loose tea)

rapeseed oil, or vegetable oil

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp vinegar (balsamic, wine or cider)

340g jar of pickled beetroot

small bag of mixed salad leaves: rocket, watercress, spinach

50g of walnut pieces, pre-roasted in a hot oven for a few mins

salt & pepper

Method

Rinse the pigeon breasts under running water and pat dry with kitchen roll.

Marinate the breasts in the whisky in a shallow glass or porcelain bowl. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours but up to 8.

Tear open the teabags and empty the tea onto a plate.

Remove the breasts from the whisky marinade and turn the breasts in the tea leaves to lightly coat each breast; put to one side.

Lightly pan fry the pigeon breasts in rapeseed oil, allowing no more than a minute or 2 on each side, keeping the breasts nice and pink.

Remove the breasts from the frying pan and allow to rest while you dress your plates.

Make a light vinaigrette using olive oil and vinegar, or a little of the pickled beetroot juice instead of vinegar.

Toss the salad leaves with the vinaigrette.

Arrange the leaves among 4 plates with the beetroot cut into slices. Slice the pigeon and place on top of the leaves then garnish with the walnuts and season with salt & pepper to finish.

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