Recipe: Pigeon with Puy Lentils, Black Pudding, Apricots & Pancetta

Serves: 1 person

Preparation time: 15 minutes (+3 hours lentil soaking)

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 50g Puy lentils
• 1 Pigeon breast (oiled and seasoned with salt and pepper)
• 30g Pancetta (diced & cooked until crispy)
• 30g Black pudding (cooked & diced)
• 3 Dried apricots confit
• 60ml Red wine jus (70ml red wine, 30ml beef stock, 20g butter, 1 garlic clove)
• Small pinch of pea shoots
• 1tsp Truffle oil (for the pea shoots)

Method:

For the Lentils:

• Soak the lentils for three hours and cook for 45 mins with the finely diced shallot, carrot and celery. (To save time on the day we recommend soaking the lentils the day before cooking).

For the Red Wine Jus:

• Melt the butter in a small pan, add garlic and stir for one minute.
• Add wine and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer again for 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Pigeon:

• Seal the pigeon breast in hot pan, turning occasionally. Add the butter and baste the breast liberally.
• Warm lentils in half the red wine jus and then put to the side.
• Gently heat the remainder of the red wine jus. Place the confit apricots in the red wine jus.
• Warm up the black pudding and pancetta.
• Place the lentils on a plate, top with the pigeon breast, garnish with truffled pea shoots and drizzle the red wine sauce with apricots over the dish.

Finally, relax with a glass of red wine and enjoy!

Thank you to The Dundas Arms for providing the recipe.