Wood Pigeon Leftovers

Dead simple!

Having thoroughly enjoyed the Wood Pigeon the night before, I cooked up a big batch with the intention of having a couple cold for lunch.

That worked out great ...

Simple shred some things you love eating and layer thinly sliced meat over.

I went for red cabbage, red onion, sweet red pepper, some shredded lettuce, pickled garlic, pickled chilli and dropped a few cockles in, along with some streaky bacon.

When it came to eat, I sloshed a good helping of chilli and garlic sauce over to wet it all up.

Woodland Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce, Spring Greens and Curried Cauliflower

What a beautiful, bright, April day!

Something light and filling for dinner ... Woodland Chicken with Mushroom Cream Sauce, Spring Greens and Curried Cauliflower.

First, get the sauce started ...

Sauté some sliced mushrooms in butter. I like chestnut mushrooms for the strong, full, earthy flavour. Once soft, pour over some cream and set the heat down low to reduce and thicken. Just a little white pepper can often give this sauce a little more depth, but in this case I didn't.

Take a chicken breast per person, slice it through and settle it on the griddle.

Meanwhile, steam some cauliflower and spring greens.

Once the cauliflower is just al dente, toss the florets through in some butter, turmeric and cayenne pepper. We just want the bright colour and some heat; no need to make a full-on curry blend, but feel free if you want to.

Stir some chopped parsley into the cream sauce but before serving.

Assemble the dish: sliced chicken with the sauce over, spring greens and cauliflower alongside.

Wood Pigeon

Actually a member of the dove family, the wood pigeon is a wild bird which gleans fatty pink breast meat with a game flavour from its diet taken from open fields or gardens and lawns where young shoots and seedlings are favoured.

Seasonally shot from January to March, this was a celebration of the passing of the season for this delicious bird.

Wilt some spinach with a little butter in a skillet and keep warm.

Trim the breast off the bird, reserving the remainder of the carcass for stock, and taking care to remove all shot from the flesh.

Warm a little butter, dripping or coconut oil in a skillet and lay the breasts in to colour up a little on one side before flipping over to colour the other, warming the middle through in the process.

Wood Pigeon is best served slightly pink so plate up a mound of spinach, laying the meat over.

While the fat is still hot, whisk in a shot of whisky or red wine, emulsify and pour over the meat. Garnish with a little black truffle which is right in season, presently.