Pigeons with three herbs on a bed of rice

This pigeon recipe is interestingly rustic.  The pigeons are cooked for quite a long time (sometimes wild wood pigeons need that) on a bed of brown short-grain rice (this, in itself, is quite unusual).  It is quite exquisite.

Preparation Time: 15 Mins

Cooking Time: 2 Hrs

Total Time: 2¼ Hrs

Ingredients

For 2 servings…

3 sprigs           Thyme      

3 sprigs           Rosemary  

3 sprigs           Marjoram   

2                    Pigeons     

60 gms            Butter       

2 rashers          Bacon  - smoked      

1                    Shallot  - chopped finely         

                     Pepper  - freshly ground, black 

                     Salt          

230 gms          Rice  - brown short-grain        

40 cl               Stock  - chicken or game        

Method

Tuck a sprig of each herb into the body cavity of each pigeon.

Melt the butter in a cast-iron casserole and cook the bacon and the shallot for 2 minutes.  Add the pigeons and brown them all over.  Transfer the pigeons to a plate and season with salt and pepper.

Stir the rice into the butter in the casserole, pour in the stock and bring to the boil.  Place the pigeons on top of the rice and tuck the remaining herbs around them.

Cover the casserole and cook in a moderate oven (180°C) for 2 hours until the pigeons are tender and the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is cooked.

Variations

If brown short-grain rice is not available, use red Camargue rice, risotto rice, brown long-grained or even pearl barley.

Wine recommendations

A rustic red wine.

Conventional

     Cabernet Franc

Interesting

     Anjou Gamay

     Bourgueil

     Irouleguy

     Pinot Noir Alsace

     Saumur-Champigny