Breast of wood pigeon with sweet potato rosti, buttered Savoy cabbage and red wine sauce

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

2. For the sweet potato rösti, place the grated sweet potato into a tea towel and squeeze out any excess moisture.

3. Transfer the grated sweet potato to a bowl, add the oil and mix well to combine. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Heat a small ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat, add the potato mixture and press down well to pack the rösti together. Fry for 8-10 minutes.

5. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, or until the rösti is crisp and golden-brown.

6. For the cabbage, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the shredded Savoy cabbage and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until tender, then drain well.

   Technique: Learning to chop: the 'chiffonade' or shredding technique

7. Heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cooked shredded cabbage and sage leaves and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until golden-brown. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

   Technique: Learning to chop: the 'chiffonade' or shredding technique

8. For the wood pigeon, heat the oil in a separate ovenproof frying pan over a high heat, add the sliced wood pigeon breast and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. Remove the pigeon from the pan and set aside on a warm, covered plate to rest.

9. For the sauce, heat the oil in a non-reactive pan over a medium heat, add the garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until softened.

10. Add the red wine, bay leaf, thyme and juniper berries and simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and reduced in volume by half.

11. Add the butter and stir until melted, then strain the sauce and reserve the liquid. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

12. To serve, place the sweet potato rösti into the centre of a serving plate. Spoon the cabbage on top. Arrange the slices of wood pigeon breast alongside. Drizzle over the red wine sauce.

Less than 30 mins preparation time

30 mins to 1 hour cooking time

Serves 1