Confit legs:
1. Take the legs of the squab pigeon.
2. Place them in a large saucepan with thyme and garlic.
3. Cover the legs with the vegetable oil.
4. Confit the legs on a low heat until the legs are tender, about 30 minutes.
5. Once cooked, remove the legs from the oil.
6. Pick the meat and reserve.
7. Season to taste with salt.
Pigeon Sauce:
1. Chop up the pigeon.
2. Slice the shallots.
3. Place the pigeon in a large sauce pan and cook until it starts to brown. This should take about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the pigeon from the pan and set aside.
5. In the same pan caramelise the shallots with the garlic and thyme; this should take about 5 minutes.
6. Deglaze with white wine.
7. Add both of the stocks and bring the mixture to the boil.
8. Add the pigeon to the mixture and simmer for half an hour.
9. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve.
10. Set aside until ready to serve.
Hot water crust pastry:
1. Preheat the oven to 190°c.
2. Put the plain flour and bread flour in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add butter and use your fingertips to rub it through until it resembles breadcrumbs.
4. In a small saucepan heat the lard until it’s fully melted.
5. In a second pan add the salt to the boiling water and stir to dissolve. Add to the melted lard and mix to combine.
6. Pour the liquid into the flour and mix with a spoon.
7. Tip the dough out and work into a ball.
8. Roll it out until the mixture is the thickness of a pound coin.
9. Cut 10cm circles out of the pastry and mould the discs into a mini pork pie tin.
10. Fill the pies with sausage meat and top with a pastry lid.
11. Brush the pies with egg wash.
12. Bake the pies for half an hour at 190°C.
13. Leave to cool.
Summer Cup Jelly:
1. Mix together the chopped fruit, cucumber and mint.
2. Add the summer cup liquor and lemonade and stir.
3. Leave the mixture to infuse for 20 minutes.
4. Use a sieve to strain out the fruit.
5. Bloom the gelatine, once bloomed add to the summer cup mixture and stir to dissolve.
Coleslaw:
1. Add the egg, mustard, lemon juice, caster sugar, white wine vinegar and double cream to a blender and blend until fully combined.
2. Slowly add the vegetable oil while blending on a slow speed until the mixture has emulsified.
3. Season, to taste.
4. In a large mixing bowl mix the salad cream, fennel, cabbage and onion.
5. Season with fresh herbs.
Pigeon:
1. Cook the whole pigeon on barbecue for 5 minutes.
2. Once cooked remove from the barbecue and take off the bone.
3. Reserve the pigeon breasts.
4. Place the pigeon breasts on a roasting tray and finish in oven for 2 minutes at 180c.
Pies:
1. Carefully slice the tops off the pies.
2. Remove the sausage meat from the centre of the pies*.
3. Fill with the picked leg meat and pour over the summer cup jelly.
4. Replace lid and refrigerate until the jelly has set.
*cold cooked sausage meat is a great addition to picnics or light summer lunches served with relishes, mustard or chutneys
Serving:
1. Place coleslaw in the centre of the plate.
2. Top with the barbecued pigeon breast.
3. Place the pie onto the dish.
4. Garnish with fresh blackberries and serve with the pigeon sauce.