Pigeon pie with sour green tiger tomato pickle and Cumberland sauce

Preparation method

1. For the tomato pickle, lay the tomato slices in a shallow dish, sprinkle generously with sea salt and leave for 1-2 hours to allow them to begin to soften and to extract some of their liquid.

2. Place the pickling spice and bay leaf onto a small square of muslin, gather the muslin together to make a bag and tie with string. Heat the vinegar in a medium non-reactive pan with the spice bag. Stir in the sugar and a little salt and when the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about five minutes, until the mixture has formed a thin syrup. Set aside and leave to cool. When it has reached room temperature, discard the spice bag and pour the syrup over the tomatoes. Allow to infuse for two hours.

3. For the Cumberland sauce, blanch the sliced orange and lemon zests briefly in boiling water in small separate non-reactive pans, then refresh in iced water and drain. Pour the port into another pan and simmer until reduced by half. Add the orange and lemon juices to the pan and reduce down by half again, then add the ginger and blanched orange and lemon zests. In another small pan, heat the redcurrant jelly until melted, then whisk in the mustard powder. Stir the jelly and mustard mixture into the port and fruit reduction and set aside to cool.

4. For the pigeon pie filling, cut the breasts and any leg meat from the pigeons. Chop half the pigeon meat into chunks and mince the other half. Chop half the livers and hearts into chunks and mince the rest. Do the same with the pork back fat, then cut the bacon into chunks. In a large bowl, combine all the minced meats and offal with the duck fat, allspice and pepper and salt, to taste. Set aside while you make the pastry.

5. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Grease four individual pie moulds.

6. For the hot water crust pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Repeat twice. Place the lard and water into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and fold in the sieved flour, mixing in with a wooden spoon to make a soft dough. Place onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a workable dough. Cut off one third for the lids, wrap in cling film and reserve. It's important the pastry is used while still warm, so immediately roll out the pastry very quickly and use to line the moulds. Roll out the reserved pastry to make four lids, then cut a small hole in the centre of each using a small plain piping nozzle. (You may have pastry left over, but it is easier to work with if you have a bit more than necessary.)

   Technique: How to knead bread dough

7. Add the meat filling to the lined moulds, dampen the top edges of the pastry-lined moulds with water, lay the lids over the filling and pinch the edges together to secure. Brush the lids with the egg wash. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until completely cooked through and the pastry is golden-brown. To check when the pies are done, stick a metal skewer into the centre of each pie through the hole in the lid. If it feels hot when removed, the pies should be cooked.

8. While the pies are cooking, finely grate about half a teaspoon each (or to taste) of the extra orange and lemon zest into the Cumberland sauce to give it a fresh zing.

   Technique: Zesting citrus fruit

9. To serve, turn the warm pies out onto serving plates and spoon a pool (or place a pot) of Cumberland sauce next to it. Lift some of the tomato pickle out with a slotted spoon to drain off the liquid and place a spoonful onto each plate. Scatter with celery cress.

Over 2 hours preparation time

30 mins to 1 hour cooking time

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