According to The Times newspaper of 1931, Coventry was once as famous for its pigeon pie as Melton Mowbray is for its pork pie. Indeed, pigeon pie seems to have appeared regularly at dinner tables and race meetings such as Epsom throughout Victorian times. Mrs Beeton, in her Book of Household Management from the mid 1800s gives a recipe for Epsom Pigeon Pie. But, this humble bird is rarely found in butchers or restaurants today.
Buying Pigeon through Gourmet Food Outlets
It should be noted that the pigeons referenced here are those found in the wild such as the Wood Pigeon rather than the feral pigeons that are the scourge of many towns and cities. Given the diet of the feral pigeon – such as left over hamburgers, chips and pizza (both the takeaway and the pavement variety!), they are best not considered for cooking at all.
Wild pigeons are at their best for cooking between April and September. They are rarely found on supermarket shelves but can be ordered from any good butcher that specialises in game. There are also several online companies that can provide quality gourmet meat and poultry, including pigeon, by mail order. The following recipe is for the original pie but there are also some nice recipes for braised pigeon.
Coventry Style Pigeon Pie
Though an original recipe has not yet been discovered for Coventry Pigeon Pie, The Times article referenced above mentioned that it involved beef steak, pigeons, veal forcemeat and parsley. The following recipe therefore will be a close replica. It can be eaten hot or cold and would go well with a green salad which includes watercress.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb thinly sliced rump steak
- 4 wild pigeons, plucked and drawn
- 4 slices bacon
- 6 hard boiled eggs
- ¼ lb veal forcemeat
- 1pt or so of thick beef stock or gravy
- 2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped finely
- 12oz puff pastry
Method:
- Lay the rump steak at the bottom of a deep pie dish or fairly shallow casserole dish
- Chop the pigeons in half and lay them on the steak
- Sprinkle with the parsley and season with salt and pepper
- Take the yolks from the eggs and place them in between the pigeon pieces
- Split the forcemeat into small pieces and place amongst the pigeons beside the egg yolk
- Put the bacon slices across the pigeon pieces
- Pour enough of the beef stock or grave over the meat to just cover it.
- Top with the puff pastry and add slits to allow steam to escape
- Brush the puff pastry with beaten egg to glaze
- Pop in the oven on gas mark 4, 190 C, 375 F for about 1 ½ hours
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