The oldest written recipe for pigeon stew dates to about 1390, and would have been reserved for the lord of the manor using his own farmed pigeons. Here is a version suitable for modern peasants.
Ingredients
- 4 pigeons
- 1 garlic bulb
- 4 teaspoons chopped thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 1/2 pint chicken stock
- Juice of half a lemon
- Large pinch of ground ginger
- Pinch of saffron
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 slices wholemeal toast
- Extra herbs for garnish
Method
- Peel garlic cloves
- Mix with herbs
- Stuff each pigeon with the mixture
- Season the pigeons, and then brown in a casserole dish
- Add the stock and add other ingredients
- Cover the pan and casserole in a medium oven for 1 1/2 hours
- Serve each pigeon on a slice of toast with some gravy poured over
- Garnish with herbs
