How to make pigeon with roast beetroots, figs and seaweed

As figs come into season, match them with dark meat and juicy vegetables for a seasonal dish

Eat to a different beet: coo coo ca chew into this (River Cottage)

Pigeon with roast beetroots, figs and seaweed

Serves 2

2 wood pigeon breasts
4 medium-sized beetroots boiled, peeled and quartered
4 figs quartered
25g of gut weed thoroughly washed and dried (finely sliced cabbage can replace)
1 candy beetroot peeled and finely sliced
1 tbsp of apple balsamic
1 tbsp of olive oil

Preheat the oven to 210C. Heat a small pan of oil to 180C, add the gut weed a little at a time and deep fry until crispy, taking care as the oil will spit – use a lid to cover to prevent it spitting on you! Remove and place onto a cloth to drain any excess oil off.

Place the cooked beetroot onto a baking tray, drizzle with oil and season, then put in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the figs to the beetroot and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place a heavy-based frying pan on the stove and heat until smoking hot, then add a little light rapeseed oil. Season the pigeon with sea salt and add to the frying pan skin-side down. Be careful because the oil will spit once the pigeon is added, then cook for 1 minute on each side, remove from the pan and allow the meat to rest for a couple of minutes.

Remove the beetroots and figs from the oven, place the figs onto your serving plate, and once the figs have been removed sprinkle the apple balsamic over the beets and stir. Place the beets onto the serving plate with the figs, then slice the rested pigeon into three or four slices each and add to the serving plate. Pour over any resting juices and excess balsamic, then garnish with the sliced raw candy beetroot and deep-fried seaweed.

Recipe by Gelf Alderson, executive head chef at River Cottage (rivercottage.net). For £50 off River Cottage Cookery School courses, use the code INDY before 30 September