Roasting whole wild pigeons brings out their rich flavour and keeps them wonderfully tender. To celebrate the arrival of autumn game, we have created this properly seasonal recipe that celebrates the very best ingreints that are avialble right now.

Ingredients

1

Pumpkin, sliced into wedges
1 head of

Garlic
2

Red onions, quartered
3-4

Bay leaves
A drizzle of

Rapeseed oil
1 teaspoon

Chilli flakes
A pinch of

Sea salt
A pinch of

Black pepper
4-5

Plums
2

Whole Wild Wood Pigeon
A knob of

Grass Fed butter
A small handful of

Sage leaves

BUY AVAILABLE INGREDIENTS

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C.
Place the sliced pumpkin, onions and garlic in a large roasting tin and drizzle with oil, season chilli flakes, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the roasting tray into a hot oven and roast for approximately 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin and onions have started to crisp at the edges.
Remove the roasting tray from the oven and add the plums and the bay leaves and place back into the oven and roast for a further 20 minutes.
Remove the roasting tray from the oven and add the pigeon. Season the pigeon all over and generously smother the bird in butter, then dollop some butter around the tray. To the tray add a few sage leaves and place the whole thing back in the oven and roast for a further 7-8 minutes.
Once the pigeon is beautifully brown, remove the roasting tray from the oven. Lift out the pigeon and leave it to rest for around 5 minutes, before carving it and serving the beautiful blushing pink meat alongside the roasted vegetables.