Woodpigeon sausage rolls

Pigeon Sausage Roll

By Mike Robinson for The Field

Wednesday, 16 February 2011

How to cook pigeon that makes a light lunch, perks up a picnic or crowns canapés

I love pigeon for their eating qualities, for a pigeon is utterly delicious - a cross between beef and liver in taste, and cheap to buy.
At the pub we sell about 5,000 pigeon a year. One can cook them in so many ways, but one I particularly like is today's starter - the pigeon sausage roll. This is easy to make, quick and seriously yummy as a nibble or a pre-dinner canapé.

Serves 10
10 pigeon breasts
500g (171⁄2oz) pork sausage meat
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp Worcester sauce
Salt and pepper
500g (171⁄2oz) puff pastry
1 egg, beaten

Pop the pigeon breasts in a food processor and whizz until coarse.
Add the pork mince and combine
the meats really well. Add the thyme, mustard and Worcester sauce and season lightly.
Roll out the puff pastry to a 5mm thickness and cut it into 4in wide strips. Form the sausage mix into a long sausage about an inch thick between your hands and lay it down the middle of the strips. Brush the edges with beaten egg and roll the whole thing into a sausage roll. Glaze the outside with eggwash, decorate the pastry with a fork ( if you wish) and cut into appropriate lengths.
Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes
at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 or until golden brown. Bask in your glory.