Showcasing just three, perfect ingredients, pigeon with carrots and caraway is a delightfully simple dish for springtime supping, says Drew Ackroyd

Pigeon with carrots and caraway is a delightfully simple dish and makes a perfect light supper as the evenings are getting warmer. The dish showcases just three ingredients, carrots, caraway and our best gamebird, pigeon, with varying flavours and textures that work together perfectly. Have a go at Drew Ackroyd’s recipe for a quiet supper at home.

The season may be over but spring is the time for pigeon so make the most of the grey grouse. The Field has plenty of pigeon recipe inspiration, but for something hearty and comforting try our pigeon pie. Or if you are looking for something lighter our pigeon and blue cheese salad with russet dressing is perfect for springtime supping.

If you feel more at home in the field than the kitchen, we know the best pigeon guides and shooting spots in the UK. Follow Morton Jack’s pigeon shooting tour in pigeon shooting in the UK and add them to your shooting bucket list. These are sporting days not to be missed.

PIGEON WITH CARROTS AND CARAWAY

Pigeon with carrots and caraway is a perfect light supper dish showcasing three ingredients, flavours and textures that work.

Serves 1 or 2

  • 1 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1⁄2 shallot finely chopped
  • Knob of best butter plus butter for frying
  • Some leftover carrots
  • 2 pigeon breasts per person
  • Chopped parsley

To make pigeon with carrots and caraway, first toast the caraway in a dry pan until the aroma hits you then set aside. Sweat the shallot in a good knob of butter, add the seeds and toss the carrots in the mixture until warmed through. Salt judiciously. Season the breasts and fry them for 30 seconds or so each side in a hot pan, rest for a couple of minutes and serve, sliced diagonally, on top of the buttery carrots, sprinkled with a little parsley.