Roasted pigeon breast with English asparagus, wild garlic emulsion, and oyster mushrooms

SERVES 4 PREP TIME 30 mins COOK TIME 15 mins

INGREDIENTS

1. The roasted pigeon

• 4 whole pigeon breasts (plump, skin-on, and off the bone)
• 20g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 sprig of fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

2. The English asparagus

• 12 fresh English asparagus spears
• 10g unsalted butter
• A squeeze of fresh lemon juice

3. The wild garlic emulsion

• 100g fresh wild garlic leaves (washed thoroughly)
• 100ml neutral oil (such as grapeseed or sunflower oil)
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• Salt to taste

4. The oyster mushrooms

• 200g fresh oyster mushrooms, torn into natural bite sized clusters
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 10g unsalted butter

METHOD

Step 1: Craft the wild garlic emulsion

1. Bring a small pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Blanch the fresh wild garlic leaves for exactly 30 seconds
until wilted but intensely green.

2. Immediately plunge the leaves into a bowl of ice water to shock them and lock in the colour. Drain and squeeze
the leaves thoroughly in a clean tea towel to remove all hidden moisture.

3. Place the dried wild garlic and the neutral oil into a high-speed blender. Process on high for 2 minutes until you
have a smooth, vibrant green oil. Pass through a fine sieve or coffee filter to strain out the pulp.

4. In a clean bowl or small food processor, whisk together the egg yolk, Dijon mustard, and white wine vinegar.

5. While whisking constantly, slowly drip the green wild garlic oil into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream
until it thickens into a glossy, rich, mayonnaise-like emulsion. Season with salt to taste and transfer to a squeeze
bottle or piping bag.

Step 2: Prepare and cook the asparagus

1. Snap off the woody bottom ends of the asparagus spears where they naturally break. If the skin near the base
is thick, lightly peel the bottom 2 inches with a vegetable peeler.

2. Bring a wide skillet with a splash of water, 10g of butter, and a pinch of salt to a simmer.

3. Add the asparagus spears and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they are tender crisp and easily pierced with a knife tip. Roll them in the glossy butter glaze, add a squeeze of lemon juice, and keep warm.

Step 3: Saute the oyster mushrooms

1. Heat the olive oil in a separate frying pan over medium-high heat.

2. Add the torn oyster mushrooms in a flat layer. Let them sear undisturbed for 2 minutes until the edges turn golden and crisp.

3. Toss the mushrooms, add 10g of butter to the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes until tender and caramelized. Remove from heat.

Step 4: Sear and roast the pigeon breast

1. Pat the pigeon breasts completely dry with paper towels and score the skin lightly in a crosshatch pattern.
Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking.

3. Place the pigeon breasts into the pan skin-side down. Sear undisturbed for 2 minutes until the skin is deeply browned and crisp.

4. Flip the breasts over, immediately drop the butter, thyme sprig, and crushed garlic clove into the pan.

5. Spoon the foaming, melted butter continuously over the top of the pigeon breasts for another 1.5 to 2 minutes.
(Pigeon is best served pink/medium-rare; do not overcook or it will become tough and gamey).

6. Remove the pigeon from the pan and let it rest on a warm plate for 5 minutes before slicing.

Step 5: Presentation

1. Arrange three warm English asparagus spears parallel to each other across the centre of each serving plate.

2. Place a collection of the caramelised oyster mushrooms neatly around and over the asparagus stems.

3. Using a sharp knife, slice each rested pigeon breast in half lengthwise to showcase the perfectly pink interior,
and rest the pieces gently against the vegetables.

4. Dot the wild garlic emulsion artfully around the plate in distinct, vibrant green pools. Serve immediately.