Pigeon and cabbage casserole

02.071.03

Serves 4; cooking time 2 hours.

1 green, white, or red cabbage, quartered
Salt and freshly gound pepper
25g bacon fat or butter
2–4 pigeons, depending on size
8 chipolatas
2 onions skinned and chopped
1/2 tsp ground cloves
6 streaky bacon rashers, rinded and copped
300ml red wine or wine and stock mixture


Pre-heat oven to 170C (325F, gas mark 3)

Blanch cabbage for 5 mins in boiling salted water.

Melt fat or butter in a large frying pan and fry pigeons and chipolatas for about 8 mins until browned all over. Remove from pan.

Fry onions in remaining fat in pan for about 5 mins, until golden. Shred cabbage an dmix with onions and ground cloves.

Spread half the cabbage mixture over the bacon, season with pepper, and place the pigeons and chipolatas on top [one assumes that this is in a separate casserole or baking dish]. Cover with remaining cabbage, season with more pepper, and pour over the wine.

Cover and cook for about 1.5 hours or until birds are tender.

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