Pigeon with Marsala

Serves 6

Ingredients

6 small pigeons
6 small white onions, peeled
45 ml olive oil
salt and pepper
200 ml Marsala

Method

Cut off the back and the head of the pigeons.

Under running water thoroughly clean inside the cavity of the birds. Keep the livers aside.

Break the bone. Cut off the wing tips (this is cosmetic, if you prefer, leave them on. It is traditional in Italy to discard them)

Boil the neck and head (and wing tips) in very little water to give some stock. (NOTE The quickest and most effective way to get some pigeon fumet is to cook them in a pressure cooker if you have one)

Fry pigeons and livers in a large pan with a little bit of olive oil, the whole peeled white onions, salt and pepper.

Cook very gently for 30 minutes, don't braise and don’t seal the pigeons. Rather you should. cover the pan so the juices come out. If you seal and cook too fast, the pigeons will toughen. Cook gently for about an hour, adding some of the pigeon stock as it cooks.

Take out the livers, then add the marsala, just a few minutes before you serve.

Serve on a big plate on its own with the juice around and separately a plate of mashed potato and of vegetables. Steamed broccoli is very good with this