Beer-braised Baby Gem Lettuce With Garden Peas, Spring Onions, Beechwood Smoked Bacon, Stinging Nettles And Wood Sorrel

RECIPE:

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

1 Baby Gem Lettuce, halved lengthways then quartered

2 cups Garden Peas, fresh or frozen

1 small bunch spring onions, roughly chopped

2/3 cup chopped Beechwood smoked bacon lardons

1 small handful young stinging nettles, washed and spin-dried

1 small handful wood sorrel, washed and spin-dried

1 1/4 cups wood pigeon stock (or veal stock)

3 tbsp India Pale Ale

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

Sea salt

White pepper

Method:

To make the pigeon stock:

The best part of a pigeon is the breast, the rest of the bird is very fiddly to eat but

is ideal for making a stock with. The gamey flavour goes so well with the peas

and lettuce in this dish.

You will need:

1kg (2.2lbs) pigeon carcasses (bones and meat)

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stick, chopped

1 brown onion, chopped

1 leek, chopped

4 juniper berries

1 bay leaf

1 blade of mace

1 bouquet garni (thyme and flat leaf parsley sprigs wrapped in muslin)

6 1/4 cups water

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. In a roasting tin, toss the pigeon carcasses in the oil

and cook for 20-25 minutes.

2. Transfer the cooked pigeon carcasses to a large saucepan then add the

remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil over a moderate heat. Reduce to a gentle

simmer and cook for about 3 hours. Remove any scum from the top of the pan

from time to time.

3. The liquid will have reduced by now, remove the bouquet garni then strain the

contents of the pan through a fine sieve into a bowl. Leave to cool and remove

any fat from the surface of the stock. The stock, once cooled, can be stored in the

fridge for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container, or frozen until needed.

To cook the peas, spring onions and bacon:

Render the bacon in a hot frying pan with a tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of

butter. When the meat is nicely coloured add the spring onions and briefly cook

for about a minute until soft. Next add the peas followed by the stock. Cook the

peas for about five minutes until soft. Don’t cook them for too long otherwise

they’ll lose their vibrant green colour. Shortly before serving add the nettle

leaves and sorrel. The nettles will lose their sting in about 30 seconds of cooking.

Check the seasoning.

To braise the lettuce:

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in another frying pan then add the

lettuce, gently brown the sides for a couple of minutes but don’t overcook. The

lettuce should be nicely coloured. Next add the beer to the pan followed by a

pinch of salt and white pepper. Simmer until the beer has reduced slightly. Pour

some of the beer over the lettuce using a spoon so it can absorb the flavour.

To serve:

Serve the peas, spring onions and bacon in the pigeon stock. Top with the

braised lettuce.