The key to this dish is small sweet Petit Pois peas and nice evenly pink pigeon breasts.  It makes a delicious starter with one breast each or a light main course with two.  As a main course it could be served with crushed roasted new potatoes.

Ingredients

Serves 8 as starter or 4 as a main

8 Pigeon Breasts, skin-off
200g frozen petit pois
1/2 pint Cider (preferably traditional)
2 Shallots, finely sliced
1 knob butter
8 rashers Streaky, Smoked bacon, cut into lardons
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 cup Sage leaves, finely sliced
1 sprig Rosemary
Splash Double Cream

Method

Start off by removing the true-fillet from the back of the pigeon breasts.  This has a sinew that runs through it which will cause the breast to shrink when cooking if left on.  Discard these.

Gently saute the shallots in butter until soft but not coloured.  Add the garlic and stir for a further minute before pouring over the cider and adding the sprig of rosemary.  Allow to boil for a few minutes to remove the alcohol.

Meanwhile cook off the lardons in their own fat until crispy and drain on kitchen paper.

Heat a frying pan until searing hot.  Rub the pigeon breasts with olive oil, salt and pepper and sear for 1 1/2 minutes on each side then set aside to rest for at least 5 minutes.

While the pigeon is resting, Remove the rosemary and add the peas and sage to the cider.  Stir in the cream, bacon and season (remembering that the bacon is salty!)  Serve a spoonful of peas on a plate then slice your beautifully pink pigeon breasts over the top.