Acknowledgements
Grateful thanks are extended to all chefs and cooks past and present whose recipes were adjusted to suit personal tastes. All these recipes have been tried and tested and found to be easily prepared, cooked and suitable for all tastes.

Bon Appetite,

Chef Pierre (Peter Cramphorn)

Roast Wild Duck

Ingredients

• 2 wild ducks (any variety), oven ready
• Butter
• 2 orange quarters
• Salt and pepper
• A little port or orange juice (optional)

To Garnish

• Watercress
• Orange Wedges

Method

Prepare the ducks and wipe inside and out. Truss lightly in a similar way to a domestic duck and place knob of butter and a piece of orange in the cavity of each bird. Season lightly, rub all over liberally with softened butter and place in roasting tin.

Cook in hot oven (220°C / 425°F / gas mark 7) allowing 30-50 minutes for mallard, 30-40 minutes for wigeon and 20-30 minutes for teal or other small birds. Baste regularly and on no account allow them to overcook. Halfway through the cooking time, a little port or orange juice may be poured over the birds.

Serve on a warmed dish, garnished with watercress and orange wedges and serve with an orange salad and thin gravy made from the pan juices with the excess fat spooned off, or with bigarade sauce.

Pigeon 1 - Pate

Ingredients

• 6 pigeon breasts (off the bone, remove shot)
• 4 fl. oz. red wine
• Teaspoon mixed herbs
• Teaspoon salt (level)
• Teaspoon black pepper (level)
• 1/2 the weight of pigeon in best quality sausage meat (plain), minced pork or bacon pieces
• One egg
• 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)

Method

Mince the meat thoroughly to a fine or coarse mince. Add all the ingredients together in a large bowl and mix thoroughly until a smooth, well-mixed consistency is obtained. Pour the mixture into an ovenware dish or earthenware pot, spread level and decorate with bay or sage leaves. Cover with foil or a lid.

Position in centre of a pre-heated oven (gas mark 4) and bake for approximately 2 to 3 hours. During cooking the pate will shrink from the sides of the dish.

Pierce with a skewer and if the juices are clean it's cooked.

Leave to cool - place in the fridge for 2-3 days. The liquid will be re-absorbed by the pate. Remove from the dish, position on a plate.

To serve, slice thinly on hot buttered toast.

Pigeon 2 - Pigeons in Cider (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 4 or 6 pigeon breasts
• 4 oz. chopped chunky plain bacon or pork
• 1 large onion
• 1/2 lb. button mushrooms
• 3/4 pint dry cider
• Bay leaf or mixed herbs

Method

Place the pigeon and bacon / pork in a casserole dish. Cover with the chopped onions, bay leaf / herbs, cider, cook in a moderately hot oven (gas mark 4) for approximately 2 hours.

Add mushrooms, check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Top up with cider to cover contents and cook further until the pigeons are tender.

To serve; remove the pigeons from the casserole, thicken the liquid with cornflower, season to taste. Place the pigeons in a dish, pour sauce over the pigeons and serve.

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