(Serves 4)

Ingredients

4 pigeons boned flat

100 g duck liver

100 g pancetta or bacon lardoons

200 g savoy or purple cabbage finely shredded

100 ml Merlot Petit Verdot red wine

10 g salt

10 g freshly ground pepper

50 ml oil

100 ml clarified butter

150 ml home made stock

50 g fresh breadcrumbs

10 g parsley chopped finely

Method

Set the oven to 180°C.

Mix the breadcrumbs and chopped parsley in a small bowl with a quarter of the butter and add a touch of salt and pepper.  Set-aside.

In a heavy bottom fry pan, heat a little oil.  Season the pigeons with salt and pepper then sear the pigeons skin side down until they start to turn golden.  Turn over and sear the flesh side of the pigeons for 30 seconds.  Return the pigeons to the skin side and roast in the oven for five minutes.

Two saucepans will be required.  One for the red wine sauce and the other for the bacon and cabbage.

Pour the Merlot Petit Verdot into the first saucepan and bring to the boil.  Once the wine is starting to boil add the stock.  When the wine and stock mixture has returned to the boil reduce the heat and simmer.  Keep an eye on the saucepan and allow the sauce to reduce.  Turn the sauce off when you are happy with it and reheat when you are ready to serve.  The sauce will only take 30 seconds to reheat. 

Heat a saucepan and add 40 mls of oil and 30 mls of butter. 

Add the bacon lardoons and fry until they start to turn a light brown colour.  Add the cabbage and stir together with the bacon.  Turn the heat down to low, add salt and pepper to taste.

Take the pigeons out of the oven and allow them to rest for two minutes before serving. 

Heat a fry pan for the duck livers.  Season both sides of the duck livers.  Put 20 mls of oil and butter in the fry pan and sear the duck livers for 20 seconds on each side.  Whilst they are cooking, place a pile of cabbage and bacon in the center of the warmed plates.

Sprinkle the parsley and breadcrumb mix around the cabbage and bacon.  Place the duck livers and the pigeons on top of the cabbage and bacon and finish the dish by pouring the red wine sauce over the top of the pigeons.

serve with platina merlot petit verdot