Salmis de Palombe (Salmis of Pigeons)

Ingredients:

4 whole, oven-ready pigeons
1 tbsp oil (or butter)
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 slices white Breads
3 shallots, minced
2 tbsp butter
1 bayleaf
6 black peppercorns, crushed
1 clove, crushed
70ml cognac
140ml good, robust, red wine

Method:

Season the inside of the pigeons thoroughly with salt and black pepper then rub the outside with the oil (or butter). Lay the Breads in the base of a oven-proof dish and set the pigeons on top. Transfer the dish to an oven pre-heated to 200°C and roast for 35 minutes.

When the pigeons are almost ready gently melt the butter in a pan and use to gently fry the minced shallot and bayleaf until soft. As soon as the pigeons are ready, remove from the roasting dish and carve. Trim the wings and thighs and cut the breast into slices then arrange the meat on a metal dish before sprinkling them with the crushed black peppercorns and the clove.

Remove the bayleaf from the shallot mix then spoon the softened shallots and the cooking butter over the meat. Set the dish aside to keep hot. In the meantime, combine the pheasant trimmings, skin and liver in a mortar with the bread on which the pheasant was cooked. Pound to a paste then press through a fine-meshed sieve.

Add the cognac to a small pan and set alight before mixing in the wine and the sieved pheasant trimmings. Allow the mix to heat through (but do not boil) then pour over the pigeons. Place the resultant dish in an oven pre-heated to 200°C and cook for 10 minutes (but, once more, ensure that the sauce does not boil). Serve immediately.