YOUNG PIGEON IN VEGETABLE THREADS

INGREDIENTS
Young pigeon
Courgette
Carrot
Potato
Salt
Pepper
Oil
Shallot
Port wine
Fortified wines
Meat stock
Butter
PREPARATION
Trim the pigeon leaving the trimmed breasts to one side and the legs to the other. Retain the offal. Cut the courgette, carrot and potato into threads. It is important they are as long as possible so that they can be tied to the breast. This is easier if the threads are placed in iced water so that they become firmer and easier to separate from each other. Remove the skin from the breasts, season with salt and pepper and fry in hot oil until crisp. Do the same with the seasoned legs. Wrap the breasts with the threads in the following order – courgette, carrot and potato. The threads must be firm and tied well so that they do not come loose during cooking. Submerge the breast wrapped in threads in hot oil until the vegetables are crisp. The meat should remain raw at the centre but should be hot. Chop the offal and fry with the finely chopped shallot in a little oil. Add port and reduce. Use this as garnish, served on top of a small rectangle of filo pastry. For the sauce, use a blend of fortified wines with meat stock. Add butter to bind and give shine.
TO SERVE
See photo.