Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
1 to 2 hours
Serves
Serves 2
For the pastilla
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 squab pigeon legs (taken from whole pigeon, see below)
- 2 shallots, peeled and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2–3 thyme sprigs
- 1 celery stick, diced
- 1 Portobello mushroom, diced
- 4 Parma ham slices, chopped
- dash sherry vinegar
- 50ml/2fl oz Madeira
- 500ml/18fl oz chicken stock
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
- 1 tbsp snipped fresh chives
- 2 squab or chicken livers
- 2 filo pastry sheets
- 20g/¾oz clarified butter
For the roasted squab pigeon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 squab pigeon, legs removed and breast left on the crown
- 100ml/3½fl oz runny honey
- 200ml/7fl oz port
- 300ml/10fl oz demi-glace
- small handful of fresh redcurrants
- 200g/7oz couscous
Method
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For the pastilla, heat the oil in a frying pan and add the pigeon legs. Cook the legs on all sides until lightly coloured and then add the shallot, garlic, thyme, celery, mushroom and ham. Sauté for a few more minutes and then pour in the sherry vinegar. Cook until reduced and then add the Madeira. Cook until reduced again and cover with the stock. Simmer for 1 hour.
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Remove the legs from the mixture using a slotted spoon and leave to cool. Leave the stock simmering until reduced by half. Once the legs are cool, pick the meat off the bones and place in a bowl. Stir in the parsley, chives and stock.
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Sauté the chicken livers in a frying pan, remove from the pan and leave to cool slightly. Chop and stir into the pigeon leg mixture.
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Preheat a deep-fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Brush the filo sheets with melted butter and place on top of each other to create two layers. Add the filling to the centre and roll up tightly, in the same way as for a spring roll but a bit flatter and wider. Tuck in the ends. Deep-fry for a few minutes until golden. Carefully remove and transfer to kitchen paper to drain.
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For the roasted squab pigeon, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
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Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan and cook the squab until lightly coloured. Place in a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 6–8 minutes for rare or longer if preferred. Brush with the honey and return to the oven for another minute. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.
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Pour the port into a saucepan and cook until reduced to a quarter of the volume. Add the demi-glace and cook until reduced by half. Add the redcurrants and the remaining butter and cook for another minute.
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Put the cous cous in a large bowl and pour in just enough boiling water to cover the cous cous. Cover with a plate or cling film and set aside for 2 minutes until absorbed.
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Serve the pastilla, roasted pigeon and couscous with the redcurrant sauce alongside.
