Crépinette of Étouffée pigeon breast on braised savoy cabbage with root vegetables

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 pigeon(s), bred (e.g. from Bresse, no wild pigeons)
• 1 pig net(s)
• 1 tbsp butter for frying
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Carcass(s) of the pigeons, chopped 2 – 3 times
• 1 carrot(s), diced
• 1 stalk(s) Celery, diced
• 1 stalk(s) leek, the white part, finely diced
• 1 shallot(s), roughly diced
• ½ bottle of red wine
• 1 jar port wine
• 200 ml chicken stock
• 1 shot of balsamic vinegar
• 50 ml orange juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 2 carnations
• 4 juniper berries
• 2 star anise
• 10 peppercorns (Szechuan pepper), whole
• 60 g butter, cold
• salt and pepper
• 125 g meat (leg meat), without skin and bones, raw
• 75 ml cream, cold
• 75 g duck or goose foie gras
• 2 tbsp port wine
• 1 tbsp cognac
• 30 g truffle, black (preferably winter truffle)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp cream
• salt and pepper
• 4 leaves of savoy cabbage, large or 8 smaller ones
• 8 potatoes (la Ratte or Bamberger Hörnchen)
• 4 carrots
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp vegetable stock
• salt and pepper
• Water (ice water)

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours

Pigeon breast in pork

For this recipe, it is essential to buy farmed pigeons, not wild pigeons. These can be found in delicatessens or gourmet mail-order companies. Étouffée pigeons from Bresse have dark meat of the highest quality. They weigh approximately 500–650 g. Soak the pork netting 12 hours before preparation. First, the pigeons are butchered. Break the legs at the joint, trim them, skin them, scrape off the meat while still raw, and refrigerate them for a very long time. Cleanly remove the breasts, always cutting along the breastbone. Skin them as well. Do not refrigerate again, but allow them to come to room temperature. Chop the bones and carcasses into smaller pieces and set aside. For the vegetables, blanch four large or eight smaller savoy cabbage leaves for 4 minutes, then refresh in ice water. Dry, cut out the center stalk so that the leaves stay together, and set aside. Turn the remaining vegetables into even-sized pieces using a slightly curved paring knife – a turning knife – to create oval shapes, such as tiny rugby balls. Boil each vegetable individually, depending on the type, until almost al dente, then rinse well and set aside. If you use the same cooking water for all four vegetables, scooping out each vegetable with a permeable ladle, you can use some of this cooking water as vegetable stock at the end. A separate stock will add even more flavor. For the sauce, brown the carcasses and bones in olive oil and brown in the oven at 200°C for 15 minutes, turning once. Brown the vegetables in the oil, deglaze with the red wine, reduce briefly, then add the port wine, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, the browned carcasses and the spices and reduce to 100 ml without boiling, then strain and set aside. For the stuffing, finely puree the leg meat with the cream in a food processor, season with salt and pepper. Cut the foie gras into fairly small cubes and drizzle with cognac and port wine. Let it marinate for 10 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. Carefully cut the truffle into wafer-thin slices, discarding 32 slices, and cut the remaining slices (at least eight) crosswise into small pieces and mix with the egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of cream, a little salt and pepper. Now carefully cut a pocket on the side of each of the eight breasts, fill it with the meat and cream purée, place some marinated foie gras in the center and close it. Cut the pork netting into eight appropriately sized pieces, season the breasts with salt and pepper, brush with the egg yolk mixture and place two truffle slices on each side. Then wrap each breast in the pre-cut netting, close it, and sear all over in butter at medium heat for 2 minutes. Now place the parcels in a preheated oven at 120°C for 8-10 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts. During this time, finish cooking the vegetables. Braise the savoy cabbage in 1-2 tablespoons of butter for 3-4 minutes on each side, and glaze the root vegetables in 1-2 tablespoons of butter until fairly colorless. Baste both sides occasionally with vegetable stock, spoonful by spoonful, as it continues to reduce. Bring the sauce to a boil, then, while still at a low boil, thicken it piece by piece with the cold butter. Season well with salt and pepper. Lay a large savoy cabbage leaf flat on each warmed plate, spread the root vegetables loosely on one side, add 2-3 tablespoons of sauce to the other side, and place two of the halved pigeon breasts on top. Serve this not-so-cheap feast with a dignified red wine.