Roast squab pigeon and celeriac salad

 

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 squab pigeon
• 1/4 celeriac
• teaspoon English mustard
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• teaspoon walnut dressing
• lemon juice
• salt and ground white pepper to season
• selection of mixed salad leaves (rocket,frisee,baby red chard)
• 12 sprigs of fresh chervil

    
To roast the pigeon

• preheat the oven to 180°C and place a tray in oven to preheat
• remove the legs, wings and wish bone from the pigeon
• seal the pigeon in a frying pan over a medium heat until golden brown and place in the oven on the pre heated tray
• roast the pigeon for 9-10 minutes, then remove from oven to rest for 3-4 minutes

To make the walnut dressing

• 120ml walnut oil
• 100ml Farrington rapeseed oil
• 50ml white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 7 turns of white pepper mill

Combine the above ingredients into a sealable bottle; this dressing will keep for a very long time for future use.

To make the celeriac salad

• peel and finely shred the celeriac
• mix the mustard and mayonnaise together
• then add gradually to the celeriac, ensuring that final mix is not too wet
• add the walnut oil and lemon juice to taste
• DO NOT season until immediately before serving as mix will break down and become mushy

Remove the breasts from the pigeons and slice into three.

• Season the celeriac salad and place a pile of the celeriac in the middle of the plates. Dress the mixed salad leaves and the chervil sprigs with a little of the walnut dressing and arrange around the outside of the celeriac.  Place the sliced pigeon breasts on top of the celeriac salad and serve.