Ingredients
(serves ten)

10 pigeon breasts
2-3 rabbit loins
1kg trimmed venison loin
750ml olive oil
1 heaped tsp cèpe powder
Small bunch thyme
1/2 tsp crushed all spice
6 juniper berries
10 short paste tartlet cases
700ml game stock made with the pigeon, rabbit and venison bones, reduced to a jus with red wine, sherry vinegar and cassis in the base

For the red cabbage
1 onion, sliced
1tsp caraway seeds
60g butter
1/2 cooking apple,peeled and diced
1/4 bottle red wine
200ml red wine vinegar
200g soft brown sugar
1 large red cabbage, thinly sliced
2tsp arrowroot
Salt and pepper
Balsamic vinegar and cassis (optional)

For the purée
1 medium swede,peeled and diced
450g parsnips,peeled and diced

900g carrots,peeled and diced
Salt and pepper
150g butter
Orange syrup to taste (infuse orange zest in sugar syrup)

Method

To make the red cabbage, sweat the onion and caraway seeds in butter until soft. Add the apple and sauté until it starts to collapse. Add the red wine, red wine vinegar and sugar and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Add the cabbage, cover and cook for one hour, then another hour with the lid off. Sieve off the liquor, reduce and bind with arrowroot. Return the cabbage to the sauce and check the seasoning. Finish with balsamic vinegar and cassis if required.

Boil together the swede, parsnips and carrots until soft. Purée with seasoning, butter and orange syrup. Sit purée in a colander lined with a tea towel for two hours to dry out.

Marinate the pigeon breasts in 250ml olive oil with cèpe powder.

Marinate the rabbit loins in 250ml olive oil and thyme. Cut the venison into 10 portions and marinate in the remaining olive oil with all spice and juniper. Pan roast the meat then roast for three to four minutes in a 160°C oven until pink.  Rest.

To serve, put red cabbage into a cutter and top with the tart case filled with a tablespoon of puree.  Layer slices of pigeon and venison on to the puree and finish with the rabbit loin sliced lengthways.  Pour a cordon of reduced game stock around.

Philip Storey

Photo © Sam Bailey